German luxury maker BMW is to announce plans for an expansion of its sole U.S. vehicle manufacturing plant in Spartanburg, SC, this coming Monday. As per a statement last year, the plant is to be upgraded to produce 240,000 vehicles by 2012 from the current 140,000. Sources say the expansion will come in the form of a $27 million, 70,000 square foot addition to the paint facility.
The only specifics known is that a ceremony is planned for 11am on Monday in Spartanburg, according to plant spokesperson Bunny Richardson, according to Automotive News.
This expansion marks the fourth since the factory opened its doors in 1994, with total costs amounting to over $4.83 billion.
The factory makes the X5 SUV, the upcoming X6 and is the exclusive builder of the Z4 sports car. In 2010, the small X3 SUV will also be produced there also, while the Z4 is expected to move to Germany. Last year, 154,999 vehicles rolled off the production line.
With the volatility of the U.S. dollar, many manufacturing companies are looking at U.S. production to bring stability to pricing. For BMW , that could mean bringing production of other models popular in America to a U.S. plant.
