Production at BMW Group Plant Rosslyn dates from 1968 when Praetor Monteerders began assembling automobiles. These cars utilised BMW engines and drivetrains fitted to Hans Glas sheet metal pressed and shipped from Dingolfing in Germany. In 1973, BMW AG acquired full shareholding and established BMW Group South Africa (Pty) Ltd.
BMW Group Plant Rosslyn became the BMW Group’s first manufacturing facility outside of Germany. The BMW Group has since been a major investor in South Africa and its people, with the plant shifting from a limited vehicle-production plant that assembled vehicles with a few customisation possibilities for the local market, to a world-class plant producing highly customised cars for customers globally.
The iconic plant produced the second-, third-, fourth-, fifth- and sixth-generation BMW 3 series for the world. In 2018, BMW Group Plant Rosslyn integrated seamlessly into the BMW X family, boasting state-of-the-art production capabilities. To date, more than 1.7 million vehicles have been produced at plant Rosslyn. This success story is not only confined locally – over 96% of BMW Group Plant Rosslyn’s output is exported to 40+ global markets, including Sub-Saharan Africa. The BMW X3's journey in the country is testament to BMW Group South Africa’s unwavering commitment to excellence.
In 2023, BMW Group Plant Rosslyn celebrated 50 years of its existence. Behind the plant’s success lies a workforce of more than 2,000 direct associates, and over 23,000 individuals whose livelihoods are directly tied to BMW Group South Africa's operations. To mark the jubilee, the BMW Group announced an investment of R4.2 billion (over 200 million €) in the electrification of BMW Group Plant Rosslyn, where the next-generation BMW X3 will be produced as a plug-in hybrid for global export.
With BMW Group Plant Rosslyn’s transition to electromobility, more than 300 of its associates have received specialised training to support the production of the next-generation BMW X3 plug-in hybrid vehicle.
BMW Group South Africa is dedicated to empowerment through skills development, including technical training, leadership development programmes and career advancement pathways. In addition to training its own associates, BMW Group South Africa prioritises investing in young people at every stage of their development, starting from the BMW Early Learning Centre in the plant and continuing through to primary and secondary school, and all the way to their entry to the world of work.
BMW Group South Africa has also partnered with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Department of Basic Education to launch a science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) education project. The partnership provides local schools with the skills and equipment for learning, career guidance and mentoring programmes for future innovation and technological proficiency, and competition opportunities.
In 2024, BMW Group South Africa facilitated a total of 1,005 Youth Employment Service (YES) students comprising 881 external participants and 124 internal employees. This initiative, alongside YES4Youth is a significant employment accelerator in youth unemployment intervention. The YES programme offers unemployed youth a year of valuable work experience, helping them become future leaders, skilled workers, or even entrepreneurs.
The success of the BMW Group stems from long-term thinking and responsible action. The organisation set the course for the future at an early stage and consistently prioritises sustainability and efficient resource management – from the supply chain through production to the end of the use phase of all products – in its strategic direction.
BMW Group Plant Rosslyn has successfully implemented efficiency processes that drastically reduce water consumption and emissions, as well as cut noise and vibration to a minimum. It has also been a zero waste to landfill plant since 2021. This has required various innovative approaches, such as the Paint Shop, where the team implements the latest technologies to reduce the use of fossil-fuel-based products. Rainwater harvesting has been implemented where the water is collected and then stored for re-use in garden irrigation.
By partnering with different waste management organisations, BMW Group Plant Rosslyn ensures that no waste is left on site and that all surplus materials and components are used or repurposed elsewhere. The most impactful partnership is with eco-friendly building supplier Envirolite, which makes concrete and bricks from waste polystyrene. Envirolite manufactures building bricks for the local construction industry and affordable housing to larger construction projects.
The BMW Group is the first automotive manufacturer with a large percentage of its electricity generated by renewable energy. It has done so through a power purchasing agreement with Bio2Watt, a biogas plant in Bronkhorstspruit, Pretoria. In an anaerobic digester, Bio2Watt ferments organic waste – like food and agricultural waste – before siphoning off the arising natural gasses and converting them into electricity that is supplied to the national power grid.
At BMW Group South Africa, we build more than just cars. Ours is a commitment to driving economic growth, nurturing talent, and crafting a future where innovation is limitless.
