BMW Manufacturing Recognized for Export Success at South Carolina Plant

Remains largest vehicle exporter from the U.S.

Spartanburg, S.C. – September 20, 2012…BMW Manufacturing Co. announced today that the National Association of Foreign Trade Zones (NAFTZ) recognized the company as its Exporter of the Year. In addition, the NAFTZ recognized BMW as the recipient of its Export Achievement Award for being the member that showed the most improvement in value. 

BMW's plant in South Carolina has steadily increased its export activity. According to data from the U.S. Department of Commerce, based on the 2011 value of BMW exports from South Carolina, the company’s Spartanburg facility is the largest automotive exporter from the U.S.

BMW’s plant in Spartanburg currently produces over 1,000 vehicles each day and is the exclusive exporter of X3 and X5 Sports Activity Vehicles and the X6 Sports Activity Coupe through the Port of Charleston. This year, the plant is projected to produce more than 300,000 vehicles and will export approximately 70% of those vehicles to more than 130 global markets.

Accepting the award on behalf of BMW, Sky Foster, Manager for Corporate Communications at BMW Manufacturing, stated, “We are very proud of our accomplishments.  I wish to thank our associates, Tier 1 Suppliers and the South Carolina Ports Authority for their support in our shared success.”

Lewis Leibowitz, Board Chairman for NAFTZ, stated that “the FTZ program has proven to be especially successful to ensure the U.S. remains a strong global competitor. BMW’s plant in South Carolina continues to be a leader in the passenger vehicle segment and we applaud their results.”

The plant originally began vehicle production in 1994. In the last 18 years, BMW Manufacturing has produced over 2 million vehicles. Earlier this year, the company announced another $900 Million expansion to increase capacity to 350,000 units by 2014 and will bring a new model to its Spartanburg operation.

BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC

BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC is a subsidiary of BMW AG in Munich, Germany and is the global producer of the BMW X3 and X5 Sports Activity Vehicles and X6 Sports Activity Coupe.  In addition to the South Carolina manufacturing facility, BMW Group North American subsidiaries include sales, marketing and financial services operations in the United States, Canada and throughout Latin America; and a design firm and technology office in California. For more information on BMW Manufacturing, visit www.bmwusfactory.com.

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BMW Group In America

BMW of North America, LLC has been present in the United States since 1975.  Rolls-Royce Motor Cars NA, LLC began distributing vehicles in 2003.  The BMW Group in the United States has grown to include marketing, sales, and financial service organizations for the BMW brand of motor vehicles, including motorcycles, the MINI brand, and the Rolls-Royce brand of Motor Cars; DesignworksUSA, a strategic design consultancy in California; a technology office in Silicon Valley and various other operations throughout the country.  BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC in South Carolina is part of BMW Group’s global manufacturing network and is the exclusive manufacturing plant for all X5 and X3 Sports Activity Vehicles and X6 Sports Activity Coupes.  The BMW Group sales organization is represented in the U.S. through networks of 338 BMW passenger car and BMW Sports Activity Vehicle centers, 139 BMW motorcycle retailers, 115 MINI passenger car dealers, and 32 Rolls-Royce Motor Car dealers.  BMW (US) Holding Corp., the BMW Group’s sales headquarters for North America, is located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.

Information about BMW Group products is available to consumers via the Internet at:  www.bmwgroupna.com.

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Journalist note: Information about BMW Group and its products in the USA is available to journalists on-line at www.bmwgroupusanews.com and www.press.bmwna.com. 

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