Successful go-live of new production IT

18th December 2023

In August, the new standardised BMW IT solution for production plants went live for the first time worldwide at the MINI Plant Oxford.

First successful SAP S/4 HANA go-live in automotive production.

The MINI Plant in Oxford is the first of the BMW Group's networked factories to be converted to the cloud architecture over the next few years. It’s the forerunner as processes and systems become faster, more efficient, and more transparent. Future innovations can thus be rolled out much faster across all plants. The simultaneous rollout of the new global logistics, finance and customs process solutions is the basis for future global standardisation with SAP S/4 HANA, SAP Analytics Cloud and SAP GTS. With the implementation at the Oxford plant, the BMW and SAP have created a blueprint for process digalitisation of (automotive) plants of the future.

"The go-live at the Oxford plant is an important milestone in the digitalisation process of our production. It is further evidence of the transformation that is anchored in the BMW iFACTORY. It is the starting point of one of the largest change projects in the history of our production network. The new IT standards will be implemented successively at our BMW Group production sites."

Michael Nikolaides Head of Production Network, Logistics at the BMW Group.

Taking plant management to a new level

Linking relevant product, process, quality, financial and cost data using data analytics and AI, the BMW Group is taking plant management to a new level. The standardisation enables mutual plant support, flexible employee deployment and synergy effects in support and training. It also forms the basis for future innovations and a faster rollout of new solutions in the production network and enables data consistency and transparency along the entire value chain.

"IT is business and business is IT. As one team, we have successfully implemented a highly complex project. As part of our digitisation and harmonisation strategy, with this new solution we are now able to link relevant product, process, quality and cost data, enabling data consistency and transparency across the entire production chain. We are proud to be the innovation leader in the standardisation of business processes and systems in the automotive industry."

Alexander Buresch CIO and SVP Group IT at BMW Group.

LEAN and GREEN

Digitalisation and innovative technologies already have an impact along the entire BMW Group production value chain and are being driven forward in the following technology clusters: Smart Data Analytics, Smart Logistics, Innovative Automation & Assistance Systems and Additive Manufacturing. Especially in the area of BMW Group Logistics, Customs and Controlling, the introduction of the new production IT standards will further increase the level of speed, quality and flexibility.

Here’s how the 360 onsite logistics audit and assessment works!

Put us to the test, what have you got to lose?

Contact us for a FREE ‘on site' logistics audit – carried out under a non disclosure agreement - our findings will be reported in full confidence and will provide a detailed analysis of where savings and improvements can be made.

_{There’s only one condition - you must be UK based and be operating in the automotive sector, with a head count of around 25 - 30 or more operating in logistics roles.}