A delegation of 25 European University Students visited the largest Production Plant of BMW in March.  It produces 1200 cars a day, employs 19,000 staff and uses 1,700 Robots. They also have the largest press shop of the automobile industry, working 24 hours a day, 6½ days a week.

The assembly of a car is complex process that involves about 22,000 separate components. The unique BMW approach is based on its core values of quality, safety and sustainability. For example, it uses state-of-the-art technology to paint cars with powder to avoid the use of solvents. In parts of the assembly line it was so quiet and clean that employees were even able to listen to music while working.

Management concepts like Quality Management and Just in Sequence were employed across the factory floor. Just in Sequence, you may ask. That is right. They apply this expression instead of just in time as they normally receive deliveries of more than one piece. It means that if they get 200 pieces delivered at once, just the first will be just in time. The others will be used Just in Sequence.  

After the tour in the production plant, students watched a video that provided key information about BMW before returning to Campus.