[BMWalltheway]

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/28/bu...=worldbusiness

Company is not doing so hot with 75% of employees in Germany and the sales elsewhere (highest percentage of revenue in the US)

[canucklion]

BMW is doing hot. They're just trimming down the workforce to eliminate any redundancy and/or inefficiency. They're cutting jobs to make more money, they're not cutting jobs because they're losing money.

p.s. no offense to the American workforce, I'm sure the X5, Z4s and M coupes are dilligently and carefully produced at the NC plant, but I like my BMW German-made.

[canucklion]

Also, we've seen how the American Big 3 suffered from the oppression of the automaker workers' union. I really don't want to see BMW suffer the same fate.

[phantom330]

I don't think there is much of a chance moving operations to the US. Granted some cars are made on US shores, but keep in mind the company is owned by Germans and publicly traded there. They have all the plants and the new Welt in place, I highly doubt they would do all that just to ship cars over here, plus Europe is a huge market for them. I wouldn't be surprised if they do start building some 3 series domestically though eventually.

[5soko]

German made.

[Majikthese42]

They sell roughly 20% of production in the US and build roughly 10% here. If they still haven't lost their cachet as a "German car" with so many being built in the US they're doing well.

There is always the risk that they'd change their strategy at exactly the wrong moment.

Otherwise, do the German robots that builld the cars require any more benefits or work fewer hours than American robots?

[STE92VE]

Originally Posted by phantom330

I don't think there is much of a chance moving operations to the US. Granted some cars are made on US shores, but keep in mind the company is owned by Germans and publicly traded there. They have all the plants and the new Welt in place, I highly doubt they would do all that just to ship cars over here, plus Europe is a huge market for them.

I agree.

Originally Posted by phantom330

I wouldn't be surprised if they do start building some 3 series domestically though eventually.

Possible but doubtful. The plant in SC will produce all SAVs, the X5, X6, & in 2010 the X3. I would think that for the 3 series to be produced domestically, they would need to build another plant.

But then again, who would have thought back in 1970 that Toyota would surpass GM as #1.......

[DJ 83]

Originally Posted by Majikthese42

They sell roughly 20% of production in the US and build roughly 10% here. If they still haven't lost their cachet as a "German car" with so many being built in the US they're doing well.

There is always the risk that they'd change their strategy at exactly the wrong moment.

Otherwise, do the German robots that builld the cars require any more benefits or work fewer hours than American robots?

It's true, I don't think many people are going to think "American Bimmer" about the X5 or the others that are produced in South Carolina (or is it North Carolina?).

I also remember reading somewhere that the robots used in manufacturing by BMW in the US are actually german Seimens robots identical to the ones used in the German facilities. I wonder if that applies to the South African manufacturing plants as well.

-D.J.

[The_Blob]

Some E36 coupes were assembled in the US in the 90's. I almost bought one, but I didn't because of it.

[STE92VE]

Originally Posted by The_Blob

Some E36 coupes were assembled in the US in the 90's. I almost bought one, but I didn't because of it.

That's right, I forgot about that. They were assembled in SC as well, but it seems that plant is shifting to all SAV work since they will sending production of the Z cars back to Europe.

[E90SLAM]

Even though quality might not be affect at all....
but in customer's mentality, they will definately prefer pure German Made BMW.....

p.s. how about Euro Delivery in the future???

[CalZ4M]

I really don't think it makes a difference where the cars are assembled, whether here in the US or in Germany, Austria, or other places in Europe. Don't forget these are Germans we are talking about. The workers might be American but the quality standards, procedures, management, on and on and on are German in origin, as are a large percentage of the parts. I honestly don't think the average person driving around has any idea some BMWs are built here in the US. I wonder if Germans care that their X5s and Z cars are being imported from the US?

[Gig103]

Originally Posted by canucklion

Also, we've seen how the American Big 3 suffered from the oppression of the automaker workers' union. I really don't want to see BMW suffer the same fate.

Agreed. I heard a quote...

"GM is a wonderful pension and healthcare company. I hear they used to even make cars!"

[nusevad]

Originally Posted by Majikthese42

Otherwise, do the German robots that builld the cars require any more benefits or work fewer hours than American robots?

German robots...American robots...all made in China!

[cycler]

People bite your tounges. If the cars are built here then we cant do ED and we cant go to Prague to see all the lovely ladies.

[STE92VE]

Originally Posted by cycler

People bite your tounges. If the cars are built here then we cant do ED and we cant go to Prague to see all the lovely ladies.

You wouldn't be able to do ED, but I don't think they'll shut down Europe because of it. I'm pretty sure Prague will still be in business....

[Year's_End]

They might as well change the name to AMW if they made that kind of a decision. Sounds too much like the root beer brand A&W.

[shiggy]

Originally Posted by canucklion

BMW is doing hot. They're just trimming down the workforce to eliminate any redundancy and/or inefficiency. They're cutting jobs to make more money, they're not cutting jobs because they're losing money.

p.s. no offense to the American workforce, I'm sure the X5, Z4s and M coupes are dilligently and carefully produced at the NC plant, but I like my BMW German-made.

hell ya!