The BMW Group Home Plant in Munich E-Book

• Herausgeber: Hirmer
• Kategorie: Geisteswissenschaft
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 370

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2016

Beschreibung

Rund einhundert Jahre Werksgeschichte: Auf 272 Seiten spannt die Publikation den Bogen vom Beginn der Otto-Werke 1913 bis hin zu den aktuellsten Investitionen, die das Werk bis 2018 in entscheidenden Bereichen neu positionieren werden. Die Autoren zeichnen das faszinierende Bild eines einmaligen Fertigungsstandortes der weltweit berühmten Marke BMW.Ein modernes Automobil- und Motorenwerk mitten in der Metropole München – das BMW Group Stammwerk ist die Keimzelle der BMW Produktion, hier verbinden sich die lange Tradition des Konzerns und eine hochmoderne Fertigung. Mit einer Vielzahl historischer und aktueller Aufnahmen ermöglicht die Publikation einen spannenden Blick hinter die Kulissen, skizziert die Wendepunkte in der Geschichte des Werkes und lässt ehemalige sowie aktive Mitarbeiter selbst zu Wort kommen. Vorgestellt werden die Industriearchitektur im Wandel der Zeit sowie die stetige Modernisierung der Fertigungsanlagen, um dem neuesten Stand der Technik immer einen Schritt voraus zu sein.

Leseprobe

The BMW Group home plant in Munich

The BMW Group

home plant in Munich

Caroline Schulenburg Andreas Hemmerle

191019201930194019501960Our thanks toWe are grateful to the following fortheir valuable assistance:Max Baumann, Günter Biener, Franz Braunstein, Wolfgang Dittmer, Ulrich Egenhofer, Hans Joachim Füber, Gerhart Gutsmiedel, Manfred Heller, Roland Hierl, Gustav Huber, Jörg-Dieter Hübner, Dr. Hans-Michael Kurz, Arnold Lutsch, Otto Lönner, Alois Mathe, Gerhard Müller, Volker Mumm, Leo Nömer, Hans Placht, Reinhard Promm, Helmut Pöschl, Rudolf Lechelmayr, Gerhard Seibold, Martin Josef Schlenzka, Gerhart Scholten, Ingolf Scholz, Max Schörner, Max Spulak, Udo Schulz, Andreas Tarnawski, Willy Thoma, Paul Wolter,Klaus-Georg ZrennerOur special thanks go to these men, without whom this project would not have been possible:Helmut IngrischHerbert FelixJosef KerscherHerman Bohrer (2nd edition)

201019701980199020202000ContentsPageForeword 61 The origin of BMW’s home plant 102 From BFW to BMW AG: the plant during the 1920s 163 Plant expansion to meet increased demand for aero engines 364 The plant during the Second World War 505 The plant at the end of the Second World War 646 Return to motorcycle and car production 747 “New Class” triggers upturn: the plant in the 1960s 928 From the early 1970s to the mid-1980s 1169 New structures and first steps towards a “new” Munich plant 15410 The new Munich plant takes shape 18611 The BMW Group Munich plant today 236

Dear reader,In 2016, BMW AGcelebrates its 100th anniversary; the roots ofour home plant in Munich even date back to the year 1913. Our plant premises, used bythe company since 1922, show a grown struc-ture and are now undergoing an important modernisation: By 2018, we are expanding the body shop, building a new paint shop, and preparing assemblyfor future products. The BMW Group’s Munich plantis the nucleus of BMW produc-tion. This is where everything began that is now known as our pro-duction network. Since the 1960s, BMW has been establishing ad-ditional plants, always supported by the home plant; bynow, the production network comprises 30 production sites in 14 countries.Today, Plant 1 builds four vehicle models at the same facility:the BMW 3 Series Saloon and Touring as well as the 4 Series Coupé and the BMW M4 Coupé. Besides the vehicle plant, the Munich site is home toan engine production facility. Every working day, up to 1,000 cars as well as approx. 3,000 BMW 3-, 4-, 8- and 12-cy-linder petrol engines and BMW 6-cylinder diesel engines are dis-patched from the plant.Structural change is a vital constant at our Munich plant. We are never content with thestatus quo and constantlyupdateour struc-tures, and this is how we are able to deliverthe premium standard our products have to meet. It is our customers who decide each and every dayif we have done the right things and delivered excellent quality, and we want toexceed their expectations again andagain. I am convinced that with our highlymotivated team, we will continue to achieve this goal in the future. Wecan rely on our mostvaluable asset: the people who work at our plant.I hope you enjoyreading this second edition of our book, the histor-ical sections as well as the outlook on what we are planning to do in the future to keep the plant young.Kind regards,Hermann BohrerDirector, BMW Group Munich PlantKind regards,Hermann Bohrer

Dear reader,BMW is characterized byits fascinating products. The desire to drive and own a BMW car or motorcycle has the hearts of people all around the world beat faster.Everybodyworking atBMW is as en-thusiastic about and proud of the products; this is especially true of the team at our home plant in Munich. Afterall, our Munich site is where the heartof the BMW Group beats and where our com-pany has its roots. Here, we have made and still make history. We feel and experience 100 years of BMWevery single day. Our history lives on in buildings, production facilities and people – people who identify with the BMW Group. It is their work, their commitment and their aspiration to perfection that makes BMW products so special – premium worldwide.Our team in Munich has good and secure jobs. This is anothercharacteristic of the MBW Group. Almost 8,000 people from over50 nations work here. Together,they manufactureproducts forthe international markets. Tomake surethat this will remain un-changed in the future, we continuouslyinvest in the BMWhomeplant. An amount of over 700 million euros has been earmarked for investment in these tradition-rich production facilities in the nextyears. So the site will continue tooffer good and secure jobs. Theworks council has played an active role in making sure of that.BMW’s home plant in Munich stands for fairworking conditions and fascinating products, and we are proud of it.This book tells an exciting story – the storyof people, of colleagues who are proud of theirwork, theirplant and their company. These people are the basis ofthe BMW Group’s success, and they par-ticipate appropriately in this company’s success. This is whatthe works council stands for.I hope you havefun with this fascinating glimpse into the history of the BMW home plant in Munich. Enjoy getting to know ourhistory as well as the stories of people and products, and visitus for a plant tour to experience BMW up close and personal.Kind regards,Manfred SchochChairman, Works Council Plant Munich and Joint Works Council

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19601970198019902000201019701980199020202000The origin of BMW’s home plantIn 1913, aircraftmanufacturer Gustav Otto began building a new plantat Munich’s Oberwiesenfeld militarybase. In 1916, Bayerische Flugzeugwerke(BFW) took over theassets of the company,including the plant. The production halls were builtusing lightweight construction because oftheconstraints of wartime production, though this was only regarded as an interim solution.

19101920193019401950196012Chapter 1THE ORIGIN OF BMW’S HOME PLANTOtto-Werkeand Bayerische Flugzeugwerke (BFW)The beginnings of BMW’s home plant in Munich go back to the period before BMWactually came into existence. The land was ori-ginally acquired and developed byaircraft manufacturers“Flug-maschinenwerke Gustav Otto”. Gustav Otto founded the com-pany, which was named after him. He was the son of the inventor of the four-stroke internal combustion engine, Nikolaus Otto. Gustav Otto established his first production plant in Puchheim to the west of Munich before transferring operations to SchleißheimerStraße 135 in 1911. This move located the facility alongside Munich’s Oberwiesenfeld military base. The base was at that point gradu-ally being converted into an aerodrome. If a companywantedto do business with the military authorities, it was absolutelyessentialto establish a presence nearby. In addition to the facilities located in Schleißheimer Straße, Gustav Otto continued to use the produc-tion facilities in Puchheim, but he also had two sheds in Neu-lerchenfeldstraße (later Neulerchenauer Straße) directly adjacent to the Oberwiesenfeld site.At the beginning of 1913, Otto-Werke received an orderfor more than 40 military biplanes, and this meant that a new plant had to be constructed. Ottoselected Neulerchenfeldstraße and started to build the plant the following year.The development was carried out by Munich construction companyAckermann & Cie. By June 1917, fivelarge production buildings had been completed. They were configured from west to eastand were builtparallel to each other.The arrangementof the buildings allowed the aircraftto be rolled out ofthe hangars onto the airfield located to thewest of the buildings without the need for anycomplex manoeuvres. Thefol-lowing buildings were constructed facing NeulerchenfeldstraßeSite plan of Bayerische Flugzeugwerke AG, 1918.

201019701980199020202000Main gate at Otto-Werke on Neulerchenfeldstraße, 1915.13

19101920193019401950196014Aerial view of Otto-Werke, 1915.and ran from south to north: the pre-assemblybuilding, the car-pentry shop, the warehouse and the assembly shop. A new aircraft hangar was constructed to the east of the warehouse.The construction of the buildings was typical ofthe method used in the aircraft industryduring the war.Theywere single-storey hangars built in lightweight construction, and the main material used was wood as this significantlycut down the construction time compared with methods using brick and steel. Since the plant was built dur-ing the First WorldWar,the hangars had tobe erected as quicklyas possible in order to provide the company with the facilities to com-plete the orders placed bythe military authorities. Another problem was caused by the difficulties of sourcing building materials, which also made it necessary to resortto wood. However,from the outset the plans envisaged thatthese buildings would onlybe used on a temporary basis. The aim was to replace the buildings with more ro-bust structures after the war had come to an end. Although GustavOtto started the construction work at the plant, he was unable to makemuch use of the newpremises. The finan-cial situation of the companydeteriorated steadilyduring the firsttwo years of the war.This was partlydue to the fact that the air-craft being produced at Otto-Werke had ceased to be competi-tive. Another factor was that, although GustavOtto was a technic-ally talented pioneer in the context of Bavarian aviation, he had little understanding of howto manage a factory on commercial prin-ciples geared to success in the marketplace. Bythe end of 1915, Otto-Werke was insolvent and the continuation of the companyas a going concern was uncertain. However,since the military sig-nificance of aviation had increased enormouslyduring the course of the war,the state was keen to have the maximum number ofair-craft manufacturers. A government initiativetherefore ensuredthat the shares of the companywere incorporated within a new com-pany, namely Bayerische Flugzeugwerke AG (BFW). BFW and hence the plant located at Neulerchenfeldstraße expand-ed steadily. In 1917, a workforce of 2,400 people was already em-ployed to manufacture up to 200 aircraft a month. However,the end of the warand the conditionsof the Treaty of Versailles brought air-craft production to a standstill at BFW.14Chapter 1THE ORIGIN OF BMW’S HOME PLANT1913Start of building work at the plant1916Bayerische Flugzeugwerke takes over the aircraft factories operated by Gustav Otto1917All production buildings are completed

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201019701980199020202000From BFW to BMW AG: the plant during the 1920sIn 1922, BMW AGtransferred operations to the plant located in Neulerchenfeldstraße. During thecourse of the following year, the company started to manufacture a new product: the motorcycle. The increasing demand for aero engines and motorcycles necessitated expansion of the plantfacilities from the mid-1920s.

19101920193019401950196018Status in 1922 at the time of “transfer to BMW”The history of the establishment of BMWAG proceeded in sev-eral stages. In 1917, Rapp Motorenwerke became BMW GmbH.Rapp Motorenwerke had been founded in 1913 byKarl Rapp. In order to expand the capital base of the company, it was convert-ed into a joint stock companyduring the following year.After the end of the First WorldWar,BMW faced a situation where there were no customers for the company’s only product – the BMWIIIa aero engine – because all government orders had been can-celled. Production ofaero engines was in anycase prohibitedunder the terms of the Versailles Peace Treaty ratified in 1919/20. In June 1919, the companyconcluded a licence agreement with Knorr-Bremse AGto manufacture train brakes in order to keep the workforce in employment and ensure that the machines were not standing idle. In 1920, the sole owner of BMW AG, Camillo Castiglioni, sold his shares in the companyto Knorr-Bremse AG. But two years later,he went back toKnorr-Bremse with an of-fer to purchase the engine construction facilities including all the technical drawings, the machinery assets and workforce, and the companyname BMW. At this point, Castiglioni was engaged in negotiations with the Czech Ministryof Defence for the pos-sible manufactureunder licence of the aero engines BMWIIIa and BMW IV. Licensed production of this nature offered the owner of BMW substantial opportunities for profit,and this was thereason for Castiglioni’s renewed interest in the company. Since 1921, Bayerische Flugzeugwerke AG (BFW) with the factory inLerchenauer Straße had been underCastiglioni’s ownership, and he now transferred the shareholding he acquired to BFW.Dur-ing the immediate post-war period, BFW manufactured motor-cycles and wooden furniture, although the majority of the produc-tion buildings were empty. BMW engine production was thereforeable to move into these facilities.A triangular plotof land facing south was developed in 1922. Thissite was bounded byLerchenauer Straße to the west and bya public footpathto the east. Six large production halls were avail-able. The machine shop and the run-in facility/garage were lo-cated in the southernmostbuilding. The building forassemblyand inspection was sited tothe north, together with a warehouse building. This in turn was connected with an engineering work-shop to the east. The warehouse and dispatch departmentwere built at the northerly end on the western side and the foundry was positioned to the east.The year 1923 brought two changes at BMW AG: firstly, the Al-lies permitted limited reinstatement of aero engine production. Secondly, manufactureof stationaryengines and installed units for different vehicles developed into a second mainstay for the fledgling company: engineers at BMW AG designed a motorcycle built around the “Bayern-Kleinmotor”. The R 32 became the first vehicle totake to the road emblazoned with the blue and whiteBMW logo.Chapter 2FROM BFW TO BMW AG: THE PLANT DURING THE 1920s1917Rapp Motorenwerke becomes BMW GmbH1920 BMW loses its independence1922 BMW AG is transferred to BFW1923 Commencement of motorcycle productionSite plan of the BMW plant, 1922/23.

20101970198019902020200019Main entrance to BMW AG in Lerchenfeldstraße, 1922.

19101920193019401950196020Chapter 2FROM BFW TO BMW AG: THE PLANT DURING THE 1920sConstruction around Hall 17, 1924/25.Rebuilding of Hall 17Starting up production of a new product – the motorcycle – and the return tomanufacturing aeroengines necessitated a number of changes at the factory site from 1923. The increase in ordersalso meant that the equity capital of BMW AG had to be increased several times. Some of the funds raised were used to expand the plant during the mid-1920s and, mostimportantly, to carry out a programme of modernisation. In 1924, the companymanagementdecided to replace Hall 17, previously used for component production, with a new brick build-ing. In order to avoidinterrupting operations, the external struc-ture in steel and bricks was erected around the existing wooden buildings. The newHall 17 was built as a single space with a gal-lery running around the walls. The original wood buildings located in the interiorof thenew structuremeant that this gallery could not be supported bycolumns, so itwas suspended from the roof struc-ture instead. The wooden buildings were only demolished once the new production building had been completed. The machines were reconfigured to take accountof the production workflow. The large Machine Hall 17 became the core of theBMW plant during the second half of the 1920s, and the following production facil-ities were located here: component production for aero engine manufacture and part of motorcycle custom orders.20

20101970198019902020200021The heart ofthe plant in the 1920s: Hall 17, 1926.In 1928, a steel-framed building was constructed at the front and to the eastern end of Hall 17. The hardening shop was locatedon the ground floor and company offices were accommodatedon the firstfloor.The hardening shop was an extremely important element in aero engineconstruction. In orderto be able to with-stand the high loads exerted on components during flight, cer-tain components and materials had tobe given special treatment. The hardening shop was equipped with oil-fired, gas-fired and electric furnaces of different sizes forstandard heat treatments. It was also fitted with special equipment for carburisation and ni-tride hardening. Refitting the building allowed the most advanced technology to be used and created optimum working conditions. The interior ofthe building was 6.5 metres in height and this com-bined with a powerful ventilation system to ensure thatheat and hazardous vapours were extracted from the building as quickly as possible.211924Commencement of expansion at the plant1924 Construction around Hall 171928 Construction of a new hardening shop

19101920193019401950196022The foundryThe increasing volume of production especially in motorcycles ne-cessitated a number ofchanges and an enlargementof the fac-tory. In 1928, a new foundry was built. Alreadyin 1918 high-quality products werebeing manufactured at the BMW foundry, and this reputation was the reason whyothercompanies weresourcing cast components from BMW.Construction of the new building took account of all the latest statutory heath and safety requirements. The electron-beam foundry was located separately from the otherdepartments in order to protect associates from the sulphurdiox-ide emissions produced.The new foundrywas equipped with the most advanced production facilities available at the time. It included departments for aluminium, electron-beam, iron and bronze casting and the associated smelt-ing chambers, as well as a facility for cleaning up all the castings. A model-makers’ workshop, offices and recreation rooms werearranged around a galleryin thehall. Sand treatmentmachines were positioned at the western and eastern ends ofthe foundry, with two conveyor belts taking the sand to the bunkers that weredistributed along the entire length of the building. From here the sand was then delivered directly to the moulding machines. The smelting building forproducinggrey-cast iron was connected tothe eastern end of the sand treatment room located to the west. The building with the cleaning facility for thecastings was posi-tioned alongside. The aluminium smelting building was also lo-cated facing the east. Access to the electron-beam foundry from the aluminium smelting building was through the sand preparation room for the aluminium foundry. The electron-beam foundry extend-ed overthe entire height ofthe building and was completely sep-arated from the other rooms in the foundry. The core-making facil-ity was located at the northern end of the building and was supplied with sand in the same way as the moulding machine. 22Chapter 2FROM BFW TO BMW AG: THE PLANT DURING THE 1920sThe new foundry, 1929/30.

2010197019801990202020002323Sand bunkers in the foundry, c. 1930.Inside the new foundry, 1930.

19101920193019401950196024Chapter 2FROM BFW TO BMW AG: THE PLANT DURING THE 1920sThe test trackIn 1927, a new motorcycle testtrack was constructed on the northern periphery of the sitealong what was then Keferloher Straße. Upuntil that point, the quality of the motorcycles rolling off the production line had been tested insidea building. A circuit750 metres in length was now available on which the test riders were able totake the machines to a top speed of 140 km/h. New aero engine test rigs were located inside the circuit. They were sunk into the ground to a depth ofaround four metres. A tunnelpassed under the test circuit to link the test rigs with a new two-storey building where aeroengine reassemblywas located onthe ground floor.This configuration created shortroutes so that the quality ofthe tested engines could be checked in the re-assembly area as quickly as possible. The apprentices’ workshop was initially located on the first floor of the building. The testingdepartment was sited to the west of the reassembly facilityand access from the testcircuit was also through a tunnel. The new logistics saved time because the motorcycles could be washed, checked and prepared for shipment immediately after they had been tested. The dispatch department was also located in this building. A railspur to the complexwas added at the same time as the test track, allowing the checked and crated motorcycles and engines to be shipped directly by the dispatch department. Running in BMW motorcycles, 1929.241927Construction of a new test trackAerial view of BMW’s Munich plant with the test track in the background, 1928.

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19101920193019401950196026Chapter 2 FROM BFW TO BMW AG: THE PLANT DURING THE 1920s26BMW VI aero engines in the reassembly facility, 1926.

201019701980199020202000Aero engine production The most important product manufactured at BMW up to 1945 was aircraft engines. Because aeroengine production initiallyhad to be suspended after the end of the First World War,BMW engineers set about turning the existing registered models of aeroengines into power units for other purposes. The company hoped that the good reputation of the firstBMW unit, the BMW IIIa, would ensurethat the newly developed marine, truck, automobile and motorcycle en-gines would generate good sales. Sadly, these expectations proved to be unfounded and the engines brought in virtuallyno profit forthe company. Partial revision of the Versailles Treaty in 1922 once again opened the door for aeroengine production. However,the main cus-tomers forBMW engines were not in the German market: major orders came mainly from theSoviet Union, the Czech Republic and Japan. Aviation during the period between the wars focused on ongoing development of aircraft which required more powerful engines and consistent operational safety. Instead of pursuing costly new devel-opments, engineers at BMW concentrated on developing and refin-ing the proven models. In 1928, BMW also acquired a licence from American aircraft manufacturer Pratt & Whitneyto manufacture an air-cooled radial engine. Right from the start, BMW aero engines werebuilt to extremely high quality standards. In order to maintain this level of quality, BMW al-ways took great careto ensurethat its associates were highlytrained and appropriatelyqualified. Power units were also subjected to a sys-tem of continual qualitychecks and inspections. Alreadyduring the production process, most of the materials used were subject to veryprecise testing. The important role ofquality in the production pro-cess is reflected in the incoming goods inspection thatchecked raw materials and all outsourced parts and components. But such in-spection was not simply carried out in the preparatory stages prior to production: checks werealso implemented during the actual manu-facturing process. When associates were being trained in a new area of activity, their first products were put through a rigorous test-ing process in a “firstarticle inspection”, although workers often re-garded this as unnecessary“nannying”. However,the inspection es-tablished that all the instructions issued bythe master craftsman had been understood and werebeing properly implemented. Such checks reduced the level ofrejects and enhanced the quality of the engines.Once the quality of the individual components hadbeen subjected to rigorous testing, a greatdeal of effort was also put into ensuring that the engines lived up to the high standards. This is whyonlyspecialist 2727Test rig with a BMW VI, 1925.Designers at the drawing board, 1925.

19101920193019401950196028Chapter 2FROM BFW TO BMW AG: THE PLANT DURING THE 1920sThe BMW VI aero engineDuring the first halfofthe1920s, BMW manufactured six-cylinder engines – the BMW IIIa and BMW IVunits – before go-ing on to manufacture a 12-cylinder engine, the BMW VI.This model allowed BMW to meet the requirements ofthemar-ket for more powerful engines. The BMW VI was a design de-rived from the BMWIV. The principle of developing exist-ing products was typical forBMW at that time and the two engines contained many identical parts. During the sum-mer of1924, the first BMWVI engines wererun on the test rigs. Two years later,the first powerunit was put through its first type inspection at the German Laboratory for Aviation (DVL).When production came toan end in 1937, BMW had pro-duced around 6,000 units of the engine. Numerous record and long-distance flights wereachieved with the BMW VI. In 1930, for example, Wolfgang Gronau undertook the first crossing of the Atlantic in a flying boat from east to west in a Dornier “Wal” powered by twoBMW VIengines. Numerous variations in thedesign of the BMW VI engine were produced andthe enginewas also manufactured under licence in Japan and the SovietUnion. 28craftsmen were normally used to assemble engines. Since monthlyproduction figures during the 1920s were never higherthan around 50 units, volume production was not an issue. The power units were thereforeassembled as specials or in groups of two orthree. Once assembly ofthe aeroengines had been completed, the units were put through the final inspection, which constituted the last stage of production. Initially, each engine was run for several hours on a test rig. It was then returned toreassemblyand completely taken apart. After all the components had been cleaned in a petrol bath, they were examined for material faults or damage, such as cracks. After ascer-taining that all the components were in perfect condition, the engine was reassembled. It was then run at maximum power on the test rig for another two hours. Only when the engine had been taken apart again to establish that all thecomponents were perfect and free of faults was it putback together and crated readyfor shipment. Qual-ity specifications to theseexacting standards were normal in the aero industry, and theywere absolutely essential because engine defects during operation could have untold consequences.1920 Prohibition on aero engine production by the Versailles Treaty1922 Partial amendment of the Versailles Treaty1928 Acquisition of the licence to manufacture an air-cooled radial engine from Pratt & WhitneyAdvertisement highlighting the different uses for BMW engines, 1920.

2010197019801990202020002929Dornier “Wal” flown by Wolfgang von Gronau after landing in New York, 1930.

191019201930194019501960Motorcycle productionAfter the individual components forthe motorcycles hadbeen manufactured, they were first inspected in the parts warehouseand subsequently transferred to the assembly departments. On the assembly lines, gearboxes, front forks and rear-wheel drives were assembled from individual components to form assemblies. After testing these werethen readyfor mounting in motorcycles. Each assembly line came to an end precisely at the point on the fi-nal assembly line where the incoming assemblyhad to be incor-porated into the frame ofthe motorcycle, which was mounted on an assembly dolly. The engines were in turn assembled on an as-sembly line where they were mounted on dollies and passed on from one worker to the nextbefore being transferred to the en-gine testing area. Finally, each power unitwas put through a test run on the test rig. The fully assembled motorcycles were then transported to the running-in departmentwhere they were tested for smooth-running operation. This process was often carried out by passionate and experienced motorcycle riders who could “sense” even the smallest defect. Construction of the test track around the end ofthe 1920s allowed the motorcycles to be tested over a longer distance and at higher speeds.The BMW R 32 marked the start ofa long series of high-qualityBMW motorcycles. Up tothe beginning of the 1930s, motor-cycles and aeroengines were grouped in a single productionunit at BMW. This was necessary due to the very erratic flow of orders foraircraft engines. In order to provide continuity in the supply ofwork for the highlyqualifiedspecialist fitters necessaryfor aero engine production, the workers wereemployed in motor-cycle manufacture when aeroengine production was slack. Or-ganising the manufacturing process in this way meant that the production costs ofBMW motorcycles were so high thatthey numbered among the most expensive motorcycles in the world. By the same token,the standard of quality was well above the aver-age standard for the market, which meant that the company wasable to generate profits from motorcycle production.The range ofmotorcycles produced at BMW AGwas continuously expandedduring the 1920s. Production of the R 37 sports model,30Chapter 2FROM BFW TO BMW AG: THE PLANT DURING THE 1920sR 52 solo motorcycles and sidecarcombinations in the Reichswehr army version ready for shipment, 1928/29.Promoting the quality and reliability of BMW motorcycles, 1929.

201019701980199020202000developed from the R 32, started up in 1924. The single-cylinderR 39 motorcycle came on stream during the following year to com-plement the production programme atthe entry-level end of the range. However,the high price of this model proved to be uncom-petitive in this market segment and production was phased out as early as 1926. By contrast, demand for the flat-twin “boxer” mod-els was extremely high. This encouraged BMWto steadily expand the product range during the 1920s. The product portfolio always included touring and sports motorcycles. This differentiation was based on the principle of “same frame – modified engine”. Just like BMW aero engines, the motorcycles manufactured bythe Munich companystood for high quality, advanced technology, de-pendability and sportiness. Since BMW also succeeded in bringing down sale prices through rationalisationmeasures, the demand for BMW motorcycles in Germanyand abroad rose steadily during the 1920s. During the first four years from 1923 to1927, production in-creased from 1,500 to around 5,000 units.The growing demand for motorcycles meant that the manufactur-ing facilities available at the plantfor this product had to be ex-panded. When the major programme of expansion was implementedat the end of the 1920s, a new building for motorcycle production was constructed to the south of the foundry.Anyoneentering the building from the western side firstcame to the department forframe construction. The frame components forthe new models made of pressed steel sheet were manufactured atFahrzeugfabrik Eisen-ach, the automotiveplant which BMW acquired in 1928. They weresimply riveted together in Munich before being sand-blasted in sep-arate rooms, painted and then transferred to the assemblyline. The main part of the building was used for production of individual com-ponents. Special machine tools for motorcycle construction wereset up there.311923Launch of the R 321924Launch of the R 371927 Annual motorcycle production reaches 5,000 The start oftheassembly line where the frame and fairings were assembled for the BMW R 52 and BMW R 62 models. Completed engines can be seen to the right oftheline, 1928.

1910192019301940195019603232The BMW R 32In 1923, BMW launched a new productrange with the R 32. The first BMW motorcycle to be manufactured alreadyhad a boxer en-gine mounted transverselyto the direction of motion and a drive shaft for transmission of power to the rear wheel. These two features are characteristic of BMW motorcycles to this day.The quality of the R 32 was impressive: all components thatwere liable to require re-pair were encapsulated, and the drive shaftrequired less mainten-ance than the chains orbelts thatwere otherwise common at the time. The engine was designed to generate a very low output ofonly8.5 hp and lived up to BMW’s reputation for reliability. The chassis with the double-tube frame and the short swinging arm at the front was better suitedto the theoretical top speed of 95 km/h than the condition of the roads atthetime. With the streamlined and sturdy R 32, BMW had laid the foundation stone for animpressive future ofmotorcycle development.32BMW R 32 motorcycles in the dispatch building, 1924.In 1924 the R 32 was still built without flow production techniques.Chapter 2FROM BFW TO BMW AG: THE PLANT DURING THE 1920s

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19101920193019401950196034Chapter 2FROM BFW TO BMW AG: THE PLANT DURING THE 1920sThe BMW workforceThe high level of qualification attained byBMW associates meant that the workforce was regarded as a vital part of the companyright from the start. The significance ofthe specialist workforce is also evident from the fact that Camillo Castiglioni not only ac-quired the company name, the trademark, patents anddesign drawings from Knorr-Bremse, but most importantlyalso the spe-cialist workforce. The high standards entailed by aero engine pro-duction demanded a significant proportion of highlyskilled staff in the workforce, including engineers, mastercraftsmen, fitters and specialist trades.Despite the two areas of activity encompassing motorcycle and aero engine production, the companywas notalways in a posi-tion to keep the entire workforce busythroughout the year.The winter months in particular saw seasonal lay-offs in motorcycleproduction. Employment in aircraft engine production was highlydependent on big orders. The period ofnotice for workers at thattime was around four weeks, so that the company experienced no problems under employment law ifthey dismissed staff due to low order books. Since the aero engine mechanics were gener-ally regarded as the “kings among mechanics”, BMW made stren-uous efforts toretain as manyhighlyqualified specialist workers as possible even if orderbooks werelow.However,the demand for motorcycles andaero engines fell during the global economic crisis and this inevitably impacted on the workforce. For example, standard working time was reduced byone sixth from 48 to 40 hours in 1931. When the economic situation in Germany deteri-orated still further,the government issued an emergency decree in October 1932, cutting wages by up to one fifth. This led the workforce in Munichto take strike action. The company man-agement reacted by dismissing all the strikers, but industrial action was brought to an end by a compromise after a few days. BMW workers stand