Bangkok. BMW Group Thailand is celebrating yet another historic achievement after recording a 20% year-on-year growth rate in BMW deliveries and retaining the top spot across BMW’s global network for the second consecutive year. BMW, MINI, and BMW Motorrad also made history with each brand recording their best-ever delivery figures in Thailand.

These successes enabled BMW Group Thailand to achieve a 5-digit sales figure for the second year in a row, and the company is set to build upon the previous year’s accomplishments with an expanded premium vehicle lineup that targets a wide range of market segments, while market-driven innovations of the future offer superior experiences through sheer driving pleasure, exceptionally efficient assembly lines, smart services, and a dedication to create lasting impact on Thai society through responsible and sustainable initiatives.

Mr. Christian Wiedmann, President, BMW Group Thailand, revealed “The trust placed in us by our customers is yet another solid indicator of our success. In 2018, BMW Group Thailand was selected as the top automaker in BrandAge’s “Thailand’s Most Admired Company 2018” study, recording top scores in innovation, brand image, business achievements, and social responsibility. We will certainly build upon our achievements in all of these areas throughout 2019, starting with the launch of new vehicles that fulfill every automotive need. Today, we are introducing the all-new BMW 3 Series, the new BMW Z4, and from BMW Motorrad, the new BMW C 400 GT. Elsewhere, we have brought state-of-the-art manufacturing technologies such as 3D printing into the fold to open up new alternatives in vehicle production and personalization that better meet our customers’ eclectic demands. We are also preparing to commence local assembly of high-voltage batteries this year to support the production of plug-in hybrid models in response to growing demand in Thailand.”

On the innovation front, BMW Group Thailand last year launched BMW ConnectedDrive – a flexible and personalized suite of services and apps that provide driving assistance, infotainment, and mobility features for premium-class convenience and safety. Powered by
the Open Mobility Cloud platform, the service offers well-rounded connectivity options and seamless integration of the user’s digital life and their BMW vehicle via touchpoints such as
an iPhone or Apple Watch.

Microsoft Azure, an intelligent cloud platform with world-class security credentials, gives BMW ConnectedDrive the ability to analyze and learn from the wealth of data generated by BMW vehicles in operation. The BMW-developed Open Mobility Cloud platform utilizes Azure as a basis for its smart and intuitive services, opening up new possibilities on the road that go beyond simply bringing the vehicle and the smartphone together but also encompass a wide range of content and network systems.

Among the intelligent capabilities of BMW ConnectedDrive are BMW Teleservices – automated vehicle servicing appointment handling through sharing of vehicle data with your preferred BMW service dealer. Alternatively, the driver can also manually initiate a BMW Teleservice Call to relay service and maintenance data to BMW dealers for pre-service arrangements.

From the manufacturing perspective, BMW Group Manufacturing Thailand is continuing
its mission to bring to life the future of electric mobility by kickstarting the local assembly of High Voltage Batteries (HVB) at a plant within WHA Chonburi Industrial Estate 2 later this year. To prepare for this task, plant staff have been engaged in battery assembly training programs to strengthen the skill foundation for high-tech assembly work since September 2018.

BMW Group Thailand’s commitment to innovate for the automotive world does not end with
the development of electric mobility technologies and assembly lines but also the development of a superior brand image through exclusive, unrivalled experiences for BMW owners. The Ultimate JOY Experience program, for instance, is entering its third year in grand fashion with another series of exciting activities for customers to enjoy throughout the year, while services from our network of authorized dealers continue to grow in accessibility to meet the lifestyle needs of customers. The opening of state-of-the-art BMW Studios has brought premium vehicle services closer than ever to customers with mall-based locations, while the new Urban Stores brings to life the next level in premium automotive and service experiences with innovative technologies and luxuriously welcoming customer lounge zones. The BMW Service Outlet concept, meanwhile, stands out with its remarkable speed and convenience in aftersales services, ranging from Online Booking service – which allows customers to arrange a service appointment in advance with just one click via www.bmw.co.th – to Fastlane service with its lightning-fast, 90-minute vehicle inspection and maintenance by skilled technicians.

BMW Motorrad has also taken steps to enhance its aftersales services by becoming the first-ever motorcycle manufacturer in Thailand to offer 3-year warranty with unlimited mileage under the BMW Motorrad Warranty program, which is applicable to all new BMW Motorrad models delivered from January 1, 2019 onward. The warranty program also provides total peace of mind on every journey with the inclusion of 24-hour roadside assistance service.

Mr. Wiedmann added: “The premium experience we offer to our customers do not end with joy on the road or convenience from our network of dealers. All three brands under our umbrella are also actively engaging them digitally through all major channels – including Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. In addition to stories on the latest movements from each brand for customers and fans to catch up with, our BMW JOY TV channel offers a growing library of variety content for genuine BMW fans – ranging from highlights from the latest activities under The Ultimate JOY Experience program to how-to guides for cutting-edge vehicle features. MINI, meanwhile, has taken the digital experience to the next level with exclusive availability of special-edition cars – such as last month’s MINI Cooper S Hatch Ice Blue Edition – through digital channels in a move that has generated considerable excitement among MINI fans in Thailand.”

2018 was a significant year for BMW Group Thailand with exceptional business achievements. BMW sales reached a new all-time high with 12,036 deliveries – up 20% from the previous year and achieving the highest growth rate across the global BMW network for the second year running. MINI and BMW Motorrad also recorded their highest-ever full-year sales with 1,051 MINIs (up 4% year-on-year) and 2,154 motorcycles (up 8%) delivered.

Globally, BMW Group has retained its crown as the world’s leading premium automotive company with a best-ever sales figure of 2,490,664 vehicles across BMW, MINI, and Rolls-Royce brands – marking the eighth running year of new highs as both BMW and
Rolls-Royce each scored their own individual sales records.

“BMW Group’s vision – both on a global level and in Thailand – is to drive the automotive industry forward to a better future with creative, distinctive, and sustainable innovations.
In addition to our success in vehicle deliveries, another proof of our strategic direction can be seen in the sales of plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEV), which increased by 38.4% worldwide and 122% in Thailand over the past year,” added Mr. Wiedmann.

“For passionate drivers who have fallen for our ultimate performance in precision, we are
seeing an excellent reception for our BMW M models, which saw deliveries increase by 105% year-on-year. This is a proven evidence that our imported vehicles (CBU) strategy is as successful as our local assembly strategy thus we plan to build upon the success of our CBU strategy with the all-new BMW 3 Series CBU and the all-new BMW Z4 CBU with highly attractive offers throughout the year 2019.”

Looking beyond business successes, BMW Group Thailand remains a staunch partner in creating long-term benefits and value for society through various initiatives. The Care4Water program – a partnership between BMW Group Thailand and American non-profit organization Waves For Water – continues to provide access to clean water to those in need across Thailand with the ultimate goal of improving the quality of life and the health of people in underprivileged communities. Throughout the program’s three years of operation, BMW Group Thailand and BMW authorized dealers have provided 5,020 water filtration systems to 60 communities nationwide, improving the quality of life for 502,000 people. The company aims to raise the total number of filtration systems provided to 6,520 by the end of 2019 and 9,520 by the end of 2021.

Furthermore, BMW Group Thailand is dedicated to improving social inclusion through education with the BMW Service Apprentice Program. Initiated in 2012 as part of the German-Thai Dual Excellence Education program (GTDEE), the program’s curriculum was drawn up in partnership with the German-Thai Chamber of Commerce and the BMW Group Thailand dealer network to provide participating students with theoretical and practical training with the aim to develop young and highly-skilled technicians for the automotive industry while also reinforcing Thailand’s potential as a global automotive production hub.
 

Having reached the historic milestone of 100,000 vehicles built for BMW, MINI, and BMW Motorrad, the BMW Group Manufacturing Thailand plant in Rayong will continue to expand its capabilities in various aspects as it moves forward under a clear strategy aimed at enhancing its workforce and strengthening operational foundations with forward-looking innovations. In 2018, BMW Group Manufacturing Thailand made investments worth 816 million baht in total, raising the plant’s aggregate investment value to more than 5.47 billion baht since its inception.

To realize its ambitions in sustainable mobility, BMW Group Manufacturing Thailand is set to move forward with the assembly of High-Voltage Batteries (HVB) in partnership with the DRÄXLMAIER Group, one of the world’s leading automotive suppliers. Since September 2018, staff from the DRÄXLMAIER Group have been taking part in the battery production training program at a BMW Group plant in Dingolfing, Germany to strengthen foundational skills for high-tech assembly work prior to commencement of production at WHA Chonburi Industrial Estate 2 later this year.

Mr. Uwe Quaas, Managing Director of BMW Group Manufacturing Thailand said, “We are excited to see yet another major step forward for our manufacturing capabilities as we continue to prepare ourselves for the challenges of the future – from satisfying rising demand for electric vehicles in Thailand and beyond to personalizing each vehicle to reflect the driver’s unique identity. These successes have bolstered Plant Rayong’s capacity to serve as the automotive production hub in this region – especially with assembly duties for two plug-in hybrid models in the BMW 530e and BMW 740Le. We have also introduced a wide range of other innovations to add greater flexibility and efficiency to our operations – namely automated mobile vehicles (AMV), 3D scanning technology for plant layout planning, and various digital advances in the assembly line.”

Today, BMW Group Manufacturing Thailand handles the assembly of 12 BMW and BMW Motorrad models – including the BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo, BMW 5 Series, BMW 7 Series, BMW X1, and most recently the BMW X3. The plant stands as another proof of the potential inherent in Thailand’s manufacturing sector and an indicator of continued growth for the premium automobile market in the region.

Human resources remain a major area of focus and investment for BMW Group Manufacturing Thailand. Mr. Quaas added: “Since 2015, we have been collaborating with the Thai-Austrian Technical College in Sattahip and Chitralada School (vocational program) to develop greater expertise in Mechatronics through our Dual Excellence in Education vocational training program. Apprentice students under this program will receive hands-on training from skilled technicians and, upon passing the practical exam, an opportunity to start their career with
a BMW authorized dealer. We believe that workforce development is crucial for the future of Thailand’s automotive industry, and it will be an important foundation for the country’s progress as ASEAN’s automotive production hub.”

To cultivate profound technical knowledge of world-class automotive innovations for Thai students, BMW Group Manufacturing Thailand has initiated a vocational student exchange program through which selected students from the Thai-Austrian Technical College in Sattahip and Chitralada School (vocational program) received the opportunity to visit the birthplace of BMW in Germany in September 2018. The students were able to learn and exchange knowledge about advanced mobility technologies, such as Automated Guided Vehicles (AGV), with German vocational students while also taking part in a tour of BMW Group’s Berlin plant.

“Throughout my first 5 months at BMW Group Manufacturing Thailand, I have been impressed by everyone’s dedicated efforts to drive the plant forward – from expanding our assembly lines and increasing export shipments to welcoming an increasing number of visitors from across the public and private sectors. I am positive that 2019 will be another year of success in bringing premium automotive innovations to Thai customers as we strive to overcome any and all limitations to drive the Thai automotive industry to achieve world-class standards,” concluded Mr. Quaas.
 

BMW Financial Services Thailand joined the ranks of 2018 record setters with an all-time high in new business volume at 15.9 billion baht.

Mr. Björn Antonsson, Chief Executive Officer, BMW Financial Services Thailand said, “We continue to work very closely with various teams at BMW Group Thailand and our dealer network to offer the very best customer experience in every step of the way – starting from the moment they decide to become a BMW owner. The massive new business volume in the past year has driven our total portfolio to a new high of 46.4 billion baht in value. At the end of last year, we also launched a new channel for communicating with our customers via LINE as part of our aim to deliver customer centric solutions and superior convenience.”

“2018 was also an important year for our new products, BMW FREEDOM CHOICE and MINI FREEDOM CHOICE – a new way for customers to access BMW or MINI with guaranteed future value and a choice between full ownership or moving on to a new BMW or MINI at the end of the agreement,” Mr. Antonsson concluded.
 

The BMW Group
With its four brands BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad, the BMW Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles and also provides premium financial and mobility services. The BMW Group production network comprises 30 production and assembly facilities in 14 countries; the company has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.

In 2018, the BMW Group sold over 2,490,000 passenger vehicles and more than 165,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax in the financial year 2017 was € 10.655 billion on revenues amounting to € 98.678 billion. As of 31 December 2017, the BMW Group had a workforce of 129,932 employees.

The success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term thinking and responsible action. The company has therefore established ecological and social sustainability throughout the value chain, comprehensive product responsibility and a clear commitment to conserving resources as an integral part of its strategy.

BMW Group Thailand
BMW Group Thailand, a subsidiary of BMW AG, Germany, was established on the 3rd October 1998. The three entities of BMW Group Thailand include BMW (Thailand) Co., Ltd. with responsibility for wholesales & marketing of BMW Group products, BMW Manufacturing (Thailand) Co., Ltd. with responsibility for BMW and BMW Motorrad local production, and BMW Leasing (Thailand) Co., Ltd. with responsibility for financial services offerings to both wholesale and retail customers.

In 2018, BMW Group Thailand has reached the new all-time highs with 12,036 BMW deliveries, representing a 20% increase year-on-year and the highest growth rate across BMW’s global networks for the second consecutive year. The sales of BMW plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEV) also achieved a record-high growth rate of 122% in Thailand over the past year. While MINI and BMW Motorrad also achieved the new record in sales with 1,051 vehicles MINI deliveries (growing sales by 4% year-on-year) and 2,154 BMW Motorcycles deliveries (growing sales by 8% year-on-year).

On the production side, the BMW Group Manufacturing Thailand plant was founded on BMW Group’s strong belief in the growth potential of Asian markets and Thailand in particular with its unique location, strong manufacturing base, and ready supply of skilled automotive labor, being an automotive hub for ASEAN. On-going investment has been put into the expansion of plant Rayong in terms of assembling processes, aiming to meet growing customer demand. In addition, with approximately 4 billion Thai Baht representing the amount of annual purchasing in Thailand, the BMW Global Purchasing office has been established in Thailand. This is to source various components from local suppliers in Thailand and the broader ASEAN region, in order to supply the entire BMW production network of 30 production and assembly facilities, located in 14 countries worldwide.

BMW Group Manufacturing Thailand produces the following 12 models: BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo, BMW 5 Series, BMW 7 Series, BMW X1, and BMW X3. For BMW Motorrad, the BMW F 750 GS, BMW F 850 GS, BMW R 1200 GS, BMW R 1200 GS Adventure, BMW S 1000 R, BMW S 1000 RR and BMW S 1000 XR are also locally assembled at the plant. In addition, BMW Group Manufacturing Thailand now assembles two BMW plug-in hybrid models; BMW 530e and BMW 740Le.

For further information, please contact:
BMW Group Thailand
1-800-269-269
www.bmw.co.th
www.mini.co.th
www.bmw-motorrad.co.th

Media Contacts:
Carl Byoir & Associates
Suthatip Boonsaeng (08-7685-1695 or0-2627-3501 ext.102)
Thornthawat Thongnab (08-3225-4567 or 0-2627-3501 ext.206)
Pichanan Toonkamthornchai (08-5157-7557 or 0-2627-3501 ext.101)
Nalinuth Sirisombut (08-6977-7881 or 0-2627-3501 ext.155)
sboonsaeng@carlbyoir.com, tthongnab@carlbyoir.com, ptoonkamthornchai@carlbyoir.com, nsirisombut@carlbyoir.com