BMW's Debrecen Car Factory Officially Opened

The BMW Group's new car factory was officially opened this Friday in Debrecen, E Hungary where series production of the company's latest model, the Neue Klasse iX3, has begun. The more than 2,000 employees have arrived from 15 countries.

Hans-Peter Kemser, President and CEO of BMW Manufacturing Hungary Ltd., was of the view that when they decided to build a new plant in Europe, they found the perfect location in Debrecen: strong, committed partners, reliable suppliers and modern infrastructure.

He added that for the first time in BMW's history, everything was designed in virtual space and then built on the spot.

Everything related to innovation and high-tech is made in Debrecen, he said, pointing out, for example, that the factory is not connected to the public power grid and that the country's largest solar park was built to supply it with energy. "This is not just a factory, but a cornerstone of progress," he said, emphasizing that it provides livelihoods for more than two thousand people, with another thousand connected to it.

Oliver Zipse, Chairman of the Board of Management of the BMW Group, said that the construction of the Debrecen factory marked a new chapter in BMW's history. The brand-new factory will produce a brand-new model: the Neue Klasse iX3, which is efficient, sustainable and digital.

At the end of the factory opening ceremony, participants were shown the first of these models to roll off the production line.