1 June 2022 was a real cornerstone for BMW Group, as this day marks the foundation stone laying ceremony for BMW Group Plant Debrecen. The construction site, which is one of the biggest of its kind in Central Eastern Europe, has seen a stunning transformation during the past year, but there’s even more to come until production starts in 2025.
The progress of the past year is unquestionable at the site of the BMW Group Plant Debrecen: this has been the most spectacular period, since the biggest, signature buildings are now not columns forests anymore as they’re getting their shape day by day. Thanks to the effective construction method, multiple phases are happening at the same time: while the columns are rising from the ground, the roof and the
facades are also being installed at different points of the same building. This parallel work requires accurate planning and synchronised, precise work from different suppliers, but as a result, construction is going according to the plans.
The first buildings to be handed over this year are the Training Centre and the Communication Centre. The construction of the Training Centre has entered its finishing stage and the installation of the equipment will start soon, so the first clas of dual technician students in four vocations can start their studies from September. At the Communication Centre, which will serve as the plant’s central building, the
structural shell is completed, and the installation of internal building engineering elements has also been started. This building will have a number of functions: it will house most of the plant’s offices, the Health Centre providing healthcare for associates, as well as the biggest canteen. But most importantly, it will connect employees, as most of them will enter the plant through it.
The tallest building of the site, the Paint Shop, has reached its highest point in April, which served as a perfect occasion for a celebration: a topping-out ceremony held together with construction partners. Since then, facades have almost been closed and internal technology equipment installation will also start soon. At further main buildings like the Press Shop, Body Shop, Assembly and Battery Assembly,
everything is going according to the schedule and the last columns are about to set soon.
Sustainability is important not only in the products and the production processes, but already during the construction phase of BMW Group Plant Debrecen. With a view to the efficient use of resources, columns are pre-casted near the construction site, to save time and transportation emissions. Selective waste management had been introduced at the construction from an early phase, so all the waste, also by the construction partners, is collected and handled selectively. Also, with a view to the resource-efficient approach, at the topping out ceremony, a living tree with rootball had been used, which will be planted later at the site, along with another 4,500 or so trees. The main parking lot is almost ready, and the trees planted there are blooming and growing. BMW Group Plant Debrecen wants to ensure the best possible conditions for the wildlife in the immediate vicinity of the plant and is already developing a biodiversity strategy for this purpose.
But 2023 is not only about the construction, but also about people at BMW Group in Debrecen: the number of employees is significantly growing month by month: in June, the 450th employee joined the team, which means a fourfold growth since the beginning of the year. The already intensive recruitment activity is expected to gain further momentum in the coming months, with a growing number of direct, blue-collar jobs opening alongside indirect, white-collar positions. The list of open positions is constantly updated, and the application form is available at https://www.bmwgroup.jobs/hu/en.html.
The BMW Group considers the health of its employees and the creation of a healthy working environment to be an absolute priority, which is why BMW Group Plant Debrecen opened its Health Centre, providing high quality health care and general health services already on 1 June 2022, when the foundation stone was laid. In close cooperation with the Occupational Health and Safety Unit, the facility is involved in setting up first-aid points around the plant, organizing the ambulance service, as well as preventive health programmes: most recently, in May, forty employees took part in a melanoma screening.
