The BMW Group has built a completely new automotive plant in Leipzig with all of
the essential production stages of car manufacturing - body shop, paint shop and
assembly. Construction, including integration and test operations, took just
under three years. The decision to build a new BMW plant in Leipzig was made on
July 18, 2001. The overall investment volume is estimated at 1.3 billion euros.
On a medium-range basis, the BMW plant in Leipzig will have a production
capacity of up to 650 vehicles per day. During the start-up phase 2,500 people
will be working on the plant premises. Assuming full capacity utilization, over
5,000 jobs will be created there in the long term, most of them BMW jobs. Based
on experience, it is expected that an approximately equal number of additional
jobs will be created in the region surrounding the plant.
The official plant opening ceremony is scheduled for May 13, 2005. Plant tours
for the public will be offered starting in July. These tours will last about two
and a half hours and are expected to be available for booking beginning in late
May via the plant's website