BMW GROUP[1]
OVERWIEW
BMW was founded in 1916 as an aircraft-engine factory in Munich. In 1923 BMW builds first motorcycle. In 1928 BMW bought the car factory at Eisenach, Thuringia with the license to build a small car called the Dixi. This first BMW car was developed in Munich, like all other BMW products. In 1932 BMW 3/20 was developed in Munich, in 1933 - 6 cylinder's BMW 303. Until second World War BMW showed active growth in all three branches: automobile, aero engine and motorcycles industries.
In 1973 the first BMW subsidiaries were created in France and North America. In 1979 BMW developed first digital engine electronics and began R&D on hydrogen engines. In 1984 the first European models with catalytic converters appear. Computers and robots revolutionize work in planning and production. In 1989 in the year the Iron Curtain fell, BMW has another first by producing half a million cars. The company also has a turnover of DM 20.000 million, and acquires Kontron GmbH, a specialist in process engineering.
Nowadays BMW Group Company is powerful international company represented all over the world with more than 94.000 employees and over one million vehicles sold every year. Importers in 120 countries represent the BMW and worldwide sales organization comprised 24 sales subsidiaries. BMW has worldwide subsidiaries and manufacturing plants in Germany, Austria, the UK, the USA, Mexico, Brazil, South Africa, Egypt, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam.
The activities of the business fields of the BMW Group are broken down into the segments BMW automobiles, Rover Automobiles, BMW motorcycles and Financial Services.[2]
BMW automobiles and Rover automobiles account for the larger part of activities within Group. These business fields manufacture, assemble and sell automobiles, spare parts and accessories.
The BMW Motorcycles segment develops, manufactures, and sells motorcycles as well as spare parts and accessories....