Management changes in BMW Group production network

+++ Hans-Peter Kemser named as plant director for planned site in Debrecen, Hungary +++ Petra Peterhänsel will take over at Plant Leipzig +++ 

Munich. The BMW Group has named Hans-Peter Kemser as plant director for the planned site in Debrecen, Hungary. He will oversee construction of the future plant from January onwards. The 56-year-old is currently in charge of BMW Group Plant Leipzig. Petra Peterhänsel will take over from him as head of the site in Saxony. The 55-year-old currently manages the Painted Body, i.e. press shop, body shop and paint shop technologies, at the BMW Group’s largest European plant in Dingolfing.

Hans-Peter Kemser will bring years of expertise in the fields of vehicle production and electromobility to his new role from January onwards. He has been in charge of BMW Group Plant Leipzig since 2015, where he was responsible for production of the BMW 1 Series and 2 Series ranges, as well as the fully-electric BMW i3* and, up until 2020, the BMW i8. “Hans-Peter Kemser is an absolute production expert and his years of experience make him the perfect choice for successfully implementing the plant ramp-up in Debrecen,” said Milan Nedeljković, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for production. From 2025 onwards, Debrecen will produce the Neue Klasse, which will be uncompromisingly geared towards electric drive trains.

Petra Peterhänsel will take over as the new head of Plant Leipzig. The trained quality specialist has been with the BMW Group since 2012 and brings a wealth of international experience spanning all areas of the automotive industry. “I am delighted to welcome an experienced production expert like Petra Peterhänsel to strengthen our management team,” underlined Nedeljković: “Just like Hans-Peter Kemser, she brings extensive process know-how and outstanding leadership qualities. Both will push forward with our focus topics, the transformation towards electromobility, digitalisation and further expansion of sustainability.”

Exciting challenges await the designated plant directors at both locations.

Construction of the first buildings for the future BMW Group plant in Debrecen in the east of Hungary will get underway in early 2022, starting with the central office building and a training centre, to complement the infrastructure that has already been built, with roads and car parks, as well as water and energy supplies. The buildings and equipment required for car production will be put out to tender in the near future. All technologies – from press shop to body shop, paint shop and assembly – are planned for BMW Group Plant Debrecen. The plant will be the first production location for the Neue Klasse. Going forward, the site will employ up to 1,000 people, so that up to 150,000 vehicles per year can be built in Hungary. At the time of its planned commissioning in 2025, the plant will set new benchmarks for flexibility, digitalisation and productivity in production.

Electrification also continues to progress in Leipzig. The plant recently celebrated 20 years since the decision to build in Leipzig and, today, it is the BMW Group’s pioneer plant for electromobility: It has been building the BMW Group’s first fully-electric vehicle, the BMW i3*, since 2013. The location also began producing battery modules this year, creating around 175 new jobs in this area so far. The company has already decided to further increase capacity: A second production line will come on stream in 2022. The expertise and experience gained by staff at our site in the field of electromobility over the years will also be leveraged for production of the successor to the MINI Countryman, which will be built in Leipzig as a fully-electric vehicle.