2007 BMW X5 Manufacturing - South Carolina

BMW Manufacturing lies at the foot of the rolling Blue Ridge Mountains in Spartanburg County, South Carolina. The factory is an integral part of BMW Group's international production network and it's the only plant located in the US.

BMW chose Upstate South Carolina because it offers numerous resources. South Carolina has a statewide Technical Education System that is key to developing a qualified workforce. Spartanburg is also in close proximity to necessary transportation facilities, such as the deep water port in Charleston, and its centralized location in the Southeast benefits distribution to BMW dealerships.

BMW Manufacturing requires a large supplier network to provide the necessary components to build a vehicle. Over 182 companies make up the extensive network that supports BMW. In order to reduce costs, BMW Manufacturing encourages its suppliers to move closer to the factory and fortunately, many have. There are 49 suppliers in South Carolina, and 39 chose to place new operations in South Carolina to partner with BMW.

BMW & South Carolina Community Impact

BMW has invested more than $2 billion in its Upstate South Carolina facility and employs 4,500 Associates. Each year, several local counties and schools benefit from BMW's investment. Anderson, Greenville, Laurens and Spartanburg counties receive over $2.4 million dollars in annual funding while the school districts in these counties receive over $3.1 million. (A complete breakdown of BMW's impact can be found here)

BMW Manufacturing's presence has had an important effect on the local suppliers as well. Of the 49 suppliers in SC, 39 relocated to the area for the main purpose of partnering with BMW. BMW's investment in SC has helped create more than 16,650 jobs in the state and the plant maintains a job multiplier of 3.9, meaning for every job created at the plant, nearly three more jobs are created throughout the state.

BMW is a company that believes support of local organizations is an indispensable part of being a good corporate citizen. The role as a catalyst for change in the Upstate has given BMW an opportunity to give back to a community that has welcomed it.

The BMW Charity Pro-Am at The Cliffs is just one example of how BMW has been able to encourage and participate in good corporate citizenship. This Nationwide PGA TOUR event combines exciting entertainment and great competition to raise money for local charities. To date, six tournaments have raised more than $3.7 million for charities.