In the discussion of green cars, the way cars are made is too often left out of the discussion. Yet, factories are a significant source of waste that outranks the pollution of the actual automobile. Our visit to BMW’s Spartanburg plant highlighted the initiatives BMW is taking to lighten their carbon footprint in their building process as the plant expands. An expansion is underway that will tack on an additional 800 meters — a half mile — PR Manager Bobby Hitt explained, greatly adding to the plant’s role in BMW operations, like it’s Leipzig, Germany counterpart.

We had an up close view of the operation, including lots of time in the paint shop, where the application of a water-based primer matched to base coat paints reduces air emissions. The factory was clean, and quiet except for the constant whir of robotics in effect under the illumination of bright lights. The hardcore labor that we observed was performed by machines as the people oversaw the process. To our eyes, it seemed like machines overtook man. On one hand, it’s a bit disarming to see technology in motion replacing the human head, however these robots protect workers from exposure to chemicals that were common to plant workers of yesteryear. This is the way of the future of manufacturing. It has it’s finer points.

The paint shop alone completes 640 cars a day throughout a four-day work week with 400 employees on the job at any given time, Hitt said. Production is down due to the swing in the marketplace demand. In the past the plant has run on 11 shifts, now they’re down to eight. Last year, 171,000 vehicles were built at this plant. Nearly 1000 suppliers work with BMW to complete the process, including Siemens and Durr. Training takes place in existing plants for new jobs that will be created with the expansion. Associates won’t need to brush up on their German just yet.

In other green commandments, waste water is pretreated before discharge to a local treatment plant and recycling is emphasized in every feasible way. Last year, BMW claims that 83% of all waste materials generated at the plant were recycled, with additional participation from suppliers.

But perhaps most compelling in the greening of BMW’s operations is the landfill gas program. BMW uses methane gas generated at the nearby Palmetto Landfill to power gas turbines at the factory. A pipeline that is nearly ten miles long was built running between the landfill and BMW Manufacturing, providing 60% of the total energy for the facility. The excess power is used to provide power to the Paint Shop.

Two new turbines increase the electrical output from 14% up to almost 30%. “Implementation of the new landfill gas program reduces CO2 emissions by 92,000 tons per year or the equivalent to the benefit of planting over 23,000 acres of trees annually (roughly 30 times the size of New York’s Central Park),” according to BMW.

BMW is proud of their assembly process. Parts of the plant are open for public tour for BMW customers who get an up close look at where their new X6 babies come to fruition. Here in Spartanburg, South Carolina, it’s an interesting mix of Germanic efficiency and Southern charm nestled in a sleepy, quaint Southern town. Onto the race track. Stay locked.

Tweet This Post