A Personal Guide To Where It Happens
(Dingolfing - 15 July 2009) :: While I was not able to bring a camera inside, the memories will make my purchase that much more rewarding and meaningful.
Heinz Verheyen, with the plant PR group, was nice enough to take me around on a personal, one-on-one tour of each build point of the BMW 5, 6 and 7 series. I walked the production and assembly halls, nodding to friendly workers and watching the robotic machines work their magic. The commitment to quality and excellence is apparent: one part precision robots and one part exhibition kitchen, I watched as man and machine worked together to produce this incredible product.
In two shifts, 20,000 workers are bused in to and from the plant and their home area - churning out around 1,200 cars per day. Heinz acknowledged that production has slowed with the global economy downturn, but that workers’ days are changed and varied so once the economy rebounds they’ll have the same workers ready to hit the road.
I was unable to bring my camera inside, however, Heinz treated me to a lunch in the worker cafeteria - and I shot the shift change as folks came in from town. (Take a look at the plant video I dug up below.)The lesson of this visit is that meticulous attention to detail matters. And when it’s given priority as it is here, it shows in the finished product. My car is proof of that, as shown here after my memorable visit to Dingolfing.