BMW receives exporter of the year award

Charleston Regional Business Journal
Staff
September 30, 2011

National Association of Foreign Trade Zones, recognized the BMW Manufacturing Co. as the largest vehicle exporter from the U.S. to non-NAFTA markets.

BMW’s plant in Spartanburg County received the organization’s Exporter of the Year Award. The plant contributed more than $3.1 billion in exports in 2009. That number exceeded $4 billion annually in 2010.

The current value of BMW exports confirms the company’s Greer facility as the largest vehicle exporter from the U.S. to non-NAFTA countries, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce.

BMW’s plant in Spartanburg currently produces approximately 1,000 vehicles each day and is the exclusive exporter of passenger vehicles through the Port of Charleston.

“BMW vehicles manufactured in South Carolina are a major contributor to the U.S. balance of trade,” said Josef Kerscher, president of BMW Manufacturing. “Consistently strong, global demand for the vehicles built at our plant – the BMW X3, X5 and X6 – has led to a favorable impact on the U.S. economy.”

This year, the plant is projected to produce more than 260,000 vehicles and will export approximately 70% of those vehicles to more than 130 global markets.

“Through our NAFTZ Export Awards, we note the connection between global competitiveness and sound U.S. manufacturing policy,” board chairman Lewis Leibowitz said. “Zone-based manufacture for export is the best way to promote global competitiveness that the U.S. has to offer.”

Global demand for the BMW X3 has been on the rise since it was first introduced in late 2010.

The plant originally began vehicle production in 1994. In the last 17 years, BMW Manufacturing has produced more than 1.9 million vehicles.

BMW Manufacturing is a subsidiary of BMW AG in Munich and is the global producer of the BMW X3 and X5 sports activity vehicles and X6 sports activity coupe.

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