BMW will move production of the iconic ‘Mini’ from the UK to the Netherlands in the case of a no-deal Brexit. With many British companies preparing for all scenarios, BMW has revealed that it will find a new home in the Netherlands, or at least upscale their workforce.
Looks like another big win for the Netherlands! Brexit prompted damage-control reactions across a range of industries, like the European Medicines Agency (EMA). BMW increasing production in the Netherlands (as reported by De Telegraaf) is a matter of maintaining production smoothness in the case of a no-deal Brexit.
Included in this big win for the Netherlands? The Mini, an icon of British design, with significant roots and heritage value to the UK’s auto-manufacturing industry.
BMW will increase production in the Netherlands
BMW’s Oxford site still builds more cars, producing 210,971 vehicles last year compared to the 87,609 cars made by VDL in the same period. VDL in Born could produce up to 200,000 if it operated in split-shifts.
BMW is deciding where to make an electric version of its Mini this year: Germany, the Netherlands, and England are still hungry for BMW’s business. The Netherlands boasts experience in implementing plug-in charging capabilities, making it attractive for BMW.
‘Megabooty’: Dutch papers loving Brexit almost as much as Ajax, with @telegraaf front page saying BMW will move production from UK to Netherlands if there's a no-deal Brexit pic.twitter.com/TU6ttckijY
— Danny Kemp (@dannyctkemp) March 6, 2019
Will BMW increase production in the Netherlands?
“The UK remains an important location for us. Much will depend on how Brexit is ultimately negotiated. At the BMW Group, we are preparing for different scenarios. Our production network offers us flexibility,” said Harald Krüger, the current CEO of BMW at the company’s annual results conference.
The Netherlands has a high capacity for a auto-manufacturing facility: VDL Nedcar. VDL bought another 38 hectares of land from the province of Limburg last week and the first cars could roll off the belt in four years’ time.
BMW has 4,500 workers at a plant in Oxford manufacturing parts for Mini. Their “Mini Countryman” and the “Mini Cabrio” models, as well as the X1, are made out of VDL’s facility in Born, Limburg. BMW will fully survey their options, the Netherlands is an ideal candidate for maintaining production standards and improving on their electric models.
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