BMW sees its 2-millionth car roll off Shenyang assembly line

It has been 15 years since BMW began car production at its Shenyang, Liaoning province plant and it has reached a milestone, as the 2-millionth car rolled off the Dadong plant's assembly line, on Jan 30.

The particular vehicle, a BMW 5 Series plug-in hybrid power vehicle, is a highlight of BMW’s products in Chinese new energy vehicle market.

"For more than 15 years, our joint venture has become one of the most successful auto manufacturers in China. The Shenyang production site with its plants at Tiexi and Dadong, as well as its adjacent engine plant and technology research center, is a vital part of our global production network. ” said Wei Lande, chairman of BMW Brilliance Automotive. “We are striving for further developing products that satisfy our local customers; and we will make more efforts to improve our production capacity.” Guan added.

The Shenyang plant, which has been manufacturing BMWs since 2004, is a joint venture with Brilliance China Automotive Holdings that caters solely to the Chinese market and consists of the Dadong plant, for the BMW 5 Series long version, and in the Tiexi plant which opened in 2012, for the BMW X1, BMW 3 Series long version, BMW 3 Series Sedan and ZINORO cars. 

The two plants now have a combined output of 400,000 units annually, rising from 300,000 since the expanded Dadong plant put into use in May, 2017. From 2015 to 2017, BMW also expanded its portfolio of locally produced vehicle models from three to five.

Another major part of the Shenyang site is the engine plant that provides the drive systems for the two vehicle plants. 

On Jan 24, 2015, the total amount of BMWs produced in Shenyang site reached 1 million over a 12-year period. While, it just took BMW another three years to reach its 2-million production target in 2017.

The joint venture BMW Brilliance Automotive was founded in 2003 to produce and distribute BMWs in China. It is now BMW’s largest vehicle production base in the world.

From 2009 to 2017, BMW has put a total of 52 billion yuan ($8.22 billion) into the Chinese production site, which employs a workforce of more than 14,000. In 2014, the BMW Group and Brilliance China Automotive Holdings extended their contract for the Chinese joint venture, four years before it was set to expire, providing a good foundation for the successful cooperation and making it even stronger. The new agreement runs from 2018 to 2028.

Heads of the BMW celebrate the completion of its 2-millionth car in Shenyang, Northeast China on Jan 30. [Photo/liaoning.nen.com.cn ]

Dr. Johann Wieland, chairman of BMW Brilliance Automotive, delivers a speech at the 2-millionth car roll off ceremony at its Dadong plant in Shenyang, Northeast China’s Liaoning province on Jan 30. [Photo/liaoning.nen.com.cn ]

Dr.Robert Engelhorn, senior vice president of technology and production in BMW Brilliance Automotive, delivers a speech at the 2-millionth car roll off ceremony at its Dadong plant in Shenyang, Northeast China’s Liaoning province on Jan 30. [Photo/liaoning.nen.com.cn ]