One year after construction began – The BMW Group assembly plant for high-voltage batteries in Irlbach-Straßkirchen
One year after construction began: The BMW Group assembly plant for high-voltage batteries in Irlbach-Straßkirchen
+++ Project progress thanks to close collaboration and consistent schedule management +++ “Local for Local” approach decisive for partner structure during construction and operation +++ All directly commissioned construction companies are from Germany +++
Irlbach-Straßkirchen. Construction of the BMW Group assembly plant for high-voltage batteries is proceeding according to plan. One year ago, in April 2024, the company received planning permission for the new site in Lower Bavaria. Twelve months later, the central production building is complete. The technical building equipment is so advanced that installation of the production equipment can begin as planned in June.
Sabrina Kugler, Project Manager for Plant Construction:
The success of the project is due to the excellent collaboration – within the BMW Group team and with all partner companies. This is crucial, especially for such a time-critical project.
The rapid implementation pace is based on the “Lean Construction Management” methodology. This method meticulously coordinates the complex interactions of all trades and continuously analyzes their interdependencies and impacts.
The entire construction project, and thus all subprojects, are physically mapped in a “lean space” in the client container. Each construction phase is broken down into specific tasks. By examining the individual tasks together, dependencies and interfaces between the individual trades become visible. This allows any overlaps to be identified weeks in advance.
Silvia Meyer, Project Manager for Construction, Facility Management, and Safety for the New Plant Construction:
Lean Construction Management as a shared communication platform creates the conditions for transparency and solutions to challenges that arise.
All construction companies directly commissioned by the BMW Group are from Germany, two-thirds from Bavaria, and one in three companies is located within a 100-kilometer radius of the new plant. The BMW Group is thus providing an important boost to the local economy and following the “local for local” principle even during the construction phase.
“Local for Local” principle for high-voltage battery assembly and supplier network
The new site in Lower Bavaria will be one of five new assembly plants worldwide for sixth-generation (Gen6) high-voltage batteries. In parallel with Irlbach-Straßkirchen, the BMW Group is building state-of-the-art assembly plants in Debrecen (Hungary), Shenyang (China), San Luis Potosí (Mexico), and Woodruff near Spartanburg (USA). The company is following the “local for local” principle and is manufacturing the core technology for the New Class close to the respective vehicle plant. Existing locations will be strengthened, and jobs will be maintained and created.
Worldwide exchange of experiences – learning from each other
All five global production facilities for high-voltage batteries are currently under construction. Series production will begin in Debrecen, Hungary, before the end of this year. These high-voltage batteries will be installed in the first production vehicle of the New Class, the new BMW iX3, which will celebrate its world premiere at the IAA Mobility in September. Employees from Dingolfing are also involved in the ramp-up in Debrecen. These experts contribute their experience from battery assembly of current and previous generations and will also ramp up series production at the Irlbach-Straßkirchen plant next year. Installation of the production equipment in the central assembly building at the Irlbach-Straßkirchen plant will begin on schedule in June.
Energy center supplies the new location with electricity, compressed air, cooling, heat, process water
The energy center is the central supply unit of the new plant. The approximately 10,000 square meter building also houses the plant fire department with its vehicles, the facility management department with its workshops, and the service center. Two large transformers will be installed on the building and connected to the new 110 kilovolt power lines from the Bayernwerk Netz GmbH substation currently under construction. The chillers and heat pumps that will efficiently ensure stable temperature conditions in the future are already installed in the energy center. These systems will centrally transform the waste heat from production and the air compressors to a higher temperature level to heat the buildings. The necessary pipes and cables are currently being laid. At the same time, the pumping station and filters are being constructed to distribute the rainwater collected on the plant premises to the site’s restrooms. Drinking water is needed exclusively for the company catering and the social and sanitary facilities at the new location. The installation of the high-voltage batteries itself does not require any water.
Infrastructure measures connect the plant to public networks
Electricity, heat, cooling, compressed air, process water, and data lines are distributed from the energy center via a media bridge and an extensive underground network. Approximately 60 kilometers of lines run along the 500-meter-long axis between the site’s production and ancillary buildings alone. The wastewater pumping station at the northern end of the axis is the lowest point of the entire plant complex. It lies seven meters below the surface and, starting in 2026, will connect the assembly plant directly to the wastewater treatment plant near Irlbach via a nearly three-kilometer-long sewer line.
The eastern of the two new roundabouts along the B8 is already clearly visible. This roundabout, with a diameter of 80 meters and five road junctions, will be built on Makofenerstraße, directly adjacent to the employee parking areas. The roadway will have a total width of seven meters and, together with the new parallel road to the B8, will ensure that incoming and outgoing factory traffic will not disrupt the flow of the federal highway.
READ the latest Batteries News shaping the battery market
One year after construction began – The BMW Group assembly plant for high-voltage batteries in Irlbach-Straßkirchen, source
