The FINANCIAL — BMW Manufacturing led the nation in automotive exports by value for the eighth consecutive year, according to data released by the U.S. Department of Commerce. During 2021, BMW Plant Spartanburg exported 257,876 BMWs with a total export value of more than $10.1 billion. The BMWs produced in Spartanburg, South Carolina, were exported to about 120 countries primarily through the Port of Charleston, SC (nearly 219,000 units), through five additional southeastern ports and by rail to Canada.
According to BMW Group, the top five export countries from BMW Manufacturing were China (24.1% of export volume), Germany (12.3%), South Korea (9.4%), Canada (5.6%), and Great Britain (5.4%).
“Free trade and open markets are essential for global businesses and economies to grow. It is the reason BMW and South Carolina have been successful,” said Milan Nedeljković, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Production. “Plant Spartanburg contributes greatly to the success of the BMW Group. They are the center of competence for our X family of vehicles. They have world-class people who build world-class products. I congratulate our 11,000 associates for this achievement, and I thank our partners throughout South Carolina for their outstanding support.”
“Claiming the top spot for U.S. automobile exports by value rounds out a very successful year for BMW Plant Spartanburg. I’m incredibly proud of our associates and the resilience they have shown the past year,” said Dr. Robert Engelhorn, president and CEO of BMW Manufacturing. “This achievement demonstrates BMW’s trusted partnership with this state and its continued commitment to the United States.”
In 2021, BMW Manufacturing set a new production record with 433,810 BMW X vehicles produced. From that number, 179,840 X vehicles were sold in the United States, making up 53.4% of all BMW brand sales. The top two BMW models sold in America were the BMW X3 and BMW X5.
Since 1992, the BMW Group has invested nearly $12 billion in its South Carolina factory. BMW Manufacturing is the largest BMW Group plant in the world, producing more than 1,500 vehicles each day. The model portfolio includes five top-selling BMW X models, four Motorsport X models, and two plug-in hybrid electric vehicle X models. The factory has a production capacity of up to 450,000 vehicles and employs more than 11,000 people.
