This week, BMW Motorrad celebrated a significant expansion of motorcycle production in Brazil (view photos in gallery).
The company officially started operation of the new BMW Group plant in Manaus, Brazil, the first wholly BMW Group-owned motorcycle production site outside Germany. BMW invested about 10.5 million euros ($11.4M USD) in the new plant.
The first model to be produced at the new site in Manaus is the BMW F 700 GS. The BMW F 800 GS, BMW F 800 GS Adventure, BMW F 800 R, BMW R 1200 GS, BMW R 1200 GS Adventure, BMW S 1000 R, BMW S 1000 RR and BMW S 1000 XR will also be locally produced in Manaus this year.
With an initial capacity of 10,000 motorcycles per year, the new unit has already hired more than 175 employees and is working together with more than 45 local suppliers; numbers that may increase depending on growth in local market demand.
Built on an area of around 10,000 m², the new plant took about nine months to complete. It has the latest equipment and a team of highly-trained employees who are able to ensure the same level of premium quality as at other BMW Group production plants, according to the company.