Innovative strength from Lower Bavaria: Production of high-tech components for the BMW iNEXT starts in Landshut

• Wendt: “Automated driving is a great chance for Germany as an industrial location – in-house component production serves more than ever as an innovation hub”

Munich/Landshut. The Lower Bavarian BMW Group Landshut plant again assumes its role as an innovation driver for the automotive future: With a number of important high-tech components, it will give the BMW iNEXT, which starts rolling off the assembly line in Dingolfing from 2021, a face. The BMW iNEXT is the BMW Group’s first all-electric production vehicle prepared for fully automated driving. Today, Dr. Andreas Wendt, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Purchasing and Supplier Network, and Hubert Aiwanger, Deputy Prime Minister of Bavaria and the Bavarian Minister of Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy, opened a new production facility at the Landshut location. The innovative kidney grille – the “eye” – for the BMW iNEXT will be produced there.

The technologically complex kidney grille is vital for highly-automated driving: It allows the integration of camera technology, radar functions and further sensors required for highly developed driver assistance systems into the front end of the vehicle. The BMW Group Landshut is investing a total of over 50 million Euros in innovative components for the BMW iNEXT and further future vehicle models.

In-house production of components as an innovation hub for future issues such as automated driving  

“Automated driving is a huge chance for Germany as an industrial location. With future-oriented technologies, we are generating decisive competitive advantages. Especially during the current transformation of our sector, our in-house component production at Landshut is assuming more than ever the role of an innovation hub,” says board member Wendt. “In addition to highly automated driving, mobility of the future will be characterized by electric mobility and digitalisation – the BMW iNEXT is synonymous with all of this, as are Landshut and the BMW Group in Lower Bavaria.

Aiwanger, the Deputy Prime Minister of Bavaria, praised the strength and the presence of the BMW Group in East Bavaria: “The future-oriented project BMW iNEXT underscores the economic significance of the automobile industry and vehicle construction in the region. The state of Bavaria is proud of the fact that this relevant chapter in the history of the sector is being opened here at this location.” Furthermore, he added that with a view to the corona crisis, the state government was grateful for the BMW Group’s support of the regional economy even in difficult times.

Broad spectrum of high-tech components from Landshut

The kidney grille for the BMW iNEXT was developed at the BMW Group’s Landshut Lightweight Construction and Technology Center (LuTZ) and is symbolic of the transformation of the sector: For the BMW iNEXT, the brand-characterising radiator grille will become a multifunctional, innovative high-tech component. Apart from the grille, the Landshut plant will also produce further innovative components for the cockpit and the electric drive system for the iNEXT, but also structural components made from carbon fibre compound materials such as CFRP, for example. The light metal casting department provides the housing for the future electric drive motor and also developed the globally unique Injector Casting Process (ICA), whereby the electric drive system for the BMW iNEXT does without rare earths.

Effective use of the competitive advantage and industrialisation competence

“Thanks to our in-house component manufacturing facility for lightweight construction and the technology centre here at this location, we have a genuine advantage over our competitors. We have industrialisation competence, we can develop strategically crucial innovations and at the same time reliably assess external partners and suppliers,” said Dr. Wolfgang Blümlhuber, Purchasing and Supplier Network, Senior Vice President Technology Driving Dynamics, Light Metal Casting.

“The Landshut plant stands for innovative power from Lower Bavaria,” emphasised Dr. Stefan Kasperowski, Head of BMW Group Plant Landshut.

By investing in the manufacture of iNEXT components, the BMW Group is making a clear commitment to the location.” Willibald Löw, Chairman of the Works Council of BMW Group Plant Landshut, added: “Today in particular, this is a strong signal for long-term local job security.”

If you have any questions, please contact:

Corporate Communications

Saskia Eßbauer, Corporate Communications

Saskia.Essbauer@bmw.de, Telephone: +49 89 382 18364

Eckhard Wannieck, Head of Corporate and Culture Communications

Eckhard.Wannieck@bmwgroup.com, Telephone: +49 89 382 24544

BMW Group Plant Landshut
BMW Group Plant Landshut
Dr. Britta Ullrich, Communications BMW Group Plant Landshut

Britta.Ullrich@bmw.de; Telephone: +49 871 702 3232

Bernd Eckstein, Head of Communications BMW Group Plants Dingolfing and Landshut
Bernd.Eckstein@bmw.de, Telephone: +49 8731 76 22020

Product Communications
Bernhard Santer, Product Communications BMW Automobiles
Bernhard.Santer@bmwgroup.com, Telephone: +49-89-382-24360

Ingo Wirth, Head of Communications BMW
Ingo.Wirth@bmw.de, Telephone: +49-89-382-25814

Media website: www.press.bmwgroup.com

Email: presse@bmwgroup.com

The BMW Group Plant Landshut
The BMW Group Plant Landshut is one of 31 BMW Group production locations in 14 countries. At the Lower Bavarian component location, around 4,000 employees produce light metal cast components for engine, suspension and body, plastic components for the vehicle exterior, carbon body components, cockpit and equipment options, electric drive systems, special motors and drive shafts. These components are delivered to all BMW Group vehicle and engine plants worldwide. Therefore, some of the innovative power from Landshut is to be found in every BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce.

As the competence centre for the future technologies lightweight construction and electric mobility, the Landshut plant is not only merely involved at an early stage in development processes for the production of new vehicles. At the Lower Bavarian location, components for the groundbreaking BMW i models or the flagship of the BMW brand, the BMW 7 Series, are also produced. Moreover, the BMW Group’s Lightweight Construction and Technology Center (LuTZ) is based in Landshut. There, specialists from the most diverse faculties jointly conduct research on innovative high-tech-materials as well as on tailor-made mixed construction concepts and production processes for the mobility of tomorrow.  

www.bmw-werk-landshut.de

The BMW Group

With its four brands BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad, the BMW Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles and also provides premium financial and mobility services. The BMW Group production network comprises 31 production and assembly facilities in 15 countries; the company has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.

In 2019, the BMW Group sold over 2.5 million passenger vehicles and more than 175,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax in the financial year 2019 was € 7.118 billion on revenues amounting to € 104.210 billion. As of 31 December 2019, the BMW Group had a workforce of 126,016 employees.

The success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term thinking and responsible action. The company has therefore established ecological and social sustainability throughout the value chain, comprehensive product responsibility and a clear commitment to conserving resources as an integral part of its strategy.

www.bmwgroup.com

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