Jordan-Matthews SkillsUSA tours BMW plant

Posted Wednesday, April 11, 2007

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Spartanburg, SC - On February 26, eleven SkillsUSA members of the Jordan-Matthews chapter traveled to the BMW plant, in Spartanburg, SC. First on the tour was a visited to the Zentrum, the only BMW museum in North America, which sits next to the only BMW manufacturing facility in the United States. In the Zentrum, the group saw firsthand the ingenuity and history of the BMW brand.

“We learned some many impressive facts about BMW, from its beginnings in aircraft engines to its concepts with the “Bubblecar” and motorsport. BMW has indeed set some exciting milestones,” said Michelle Wallace, drafting teacher at Jordan-Matthews.

After the Zentrum, the group enjoyed a walking tour of the plant. Students got the ultimate first-hand look at the production of five styles of BMW-- X5 SAV, Z4 ROADSTER, Z4 M ROADSTER, Z4 COUPE, and Z4 M COUPE. Students learned about the idea of supply and demand and “in-time” manufacturing, concepts that have been adopted by BMW in its production. Students saw five different styles of vehicles, produced on one assembly line. Everything was state-of-the-art, from the construction of the body, to the final test of each BMW.

Students even got a sense of the importance of employee-relations in the plant. At the plant there is a common atrium where various walkways of the plants meet. In this common area employees can do anything from meeting to watch news off of the build in plasma TVs or have lunch in the modern cafeteria.

The tour is catered for anyone; school groups, businesses, the general public, or a new BMW owner.

“If you ever decide to purchase a BMW, order it, and ask for a Spartanburg pickup. BMW will take you on the test track and show you what your new vehicle can do-the Ultimate Backstage Pass,” noted Wallace.