Today marked the final leg of our trip where we would leave Leipzig and head to the final destination of Berlin. On our way to Berlin we made several stops including the US Consulate General in Leipzig and the BMW Factory of Leipzig. This week also marked the beginning of record high temperatures in Germany, with Wednesday predicted to be over 100 degrees. Although it was hot, we had beautiful blue skies to start our week, which I will take over cool temps and rain! As both the US Consulate General and BMW do not allow phones pass the initial entrance points my photos are limited.
The US Consulate General in Leipzig sits on a quant street, with elegant historical homes and some of the most beautiful climbing flowers that I have seen thus far on my trip. The theme of our tour was Wunderbar Together and that feeling of comradeship between the United States and Germany was really brought to the forefront during our tour. The United States has an extensive history in the area of Leipzig in the fields of business, commercial and industrial ties. I found it interesting that the first US Consulate in Leipzig was appointed in 1826 – not too long after our country earned its independence. This is because trade agreements and treaties with this region of Germany had been in place right after the end of the American Revolution. During both world wars the US Consulate was closed and during WWI the consulate building actually became a temporary residence for Americans and Allied refugees from Serbia, Romania and Japan. After the end of the Great War and the establishment of the Versailles Treaty the US consulate was reinstated in 1921. This relationship between Germany and the United States however remained rocky. Nazi authorities actually ordered the closer of the Consulate General on July 10, 1941, prior to the US even entering the war. Since the city of Leipzig was under GDR control, the US Consulate did not return to Leipzig until 1992.
During our visit we met with Ms. Emily Yasmin Norris who is the Consul for Political and Economic Affairs, Management and Security. In our hour long conversation we discussed transatlantic relations between our two countries. We learned about the various conferences, readings, roundtable discussions on issues that are important to German-American relationships. We also learned about topics that are of high priority to focus on directly with Germany. Currently these topics include the promotion of German-American relations, trade tariffs, equal rights with LGBTQ, green energy and continued work with NATO.
Leaving the Consulate we drove to the outskirts of Leipzig to begin our tour of the BMW plant before heading to Berlin. The main focus of our visit was to learn more about the dual education system at this plant, as well as the various sustainable manufacturing strategies they use. This particular plant produces 960 vehicles every day, out of which 180 are electric, as well as produces motorcycles. The BMW Leipzig Plant is known to be one of the most modern and sustainable car plants in the world.
Upon entering the plant my eyes were immediately drawn to the breathtaking architecture. The Central Building at the plant was designed by none other than Zaha Hadid, one of the most influential and admired architects of the twentieth/twenty-first century. What I found amazing is that the car bodies are visible from the entrance hall. They literally travel above the first floor on conveyors and are transported from production to the next step. It was truly something I’ve never seen before. The entire central building encompasses the open concept model to connect their core concepts of production, communication and technology.
After being greeted by our tour guide we first were able to view several of the different cars that are manufactured at this plant. These cars include the BMW 1 and 2 series, as well as the BMW i3 and BMW i8. Our guide proudly shared that the 1 Series is the number 1 series in Germany. As we loaded the bus to head to one of the plants we learned that every BMW automobile is individually produced and is tailor made to meet the customer’s wishes and preferences. From start to finish it takes less than 40 hours to build a BMW in Leipzig AND this even includes the quality checks that have to take place throughout the construction process. Directly outside of the plant we passed four windmills. I was shocked to learn that these four windmills provide the power for each electric car produced at the plant! Sustainability is a top priority at the Leipzig plant as 95% of the cars can be recycled, the dashboards are biodegradable and they use carbon fiber which requires 70% less water.
Each car production building is arranged in a circle around the central building. This not only allows for greater communication, but also faster distribution of ideas and materials. Once inside one of the plants it was easy to see that the plant was designed so it could be modified to meet the needs of the future of the automobiles. The plant while huge, had a very easy concept to follow and the same type of assembly line model seen in most plants. We were able to see each step from the very beginning by following along on the second story walk way. I was impressed by how clean and the extensive amount of natural light within the plant. It was fascinating to watch both the traditional and innovative production methods that used both humans and robots.
After leaving the plant, we headed back to the Central Building to learn about the BMW apprenticeship program. This program began in 2001 and there are approximately 170 apprentices per year with about 20% of the apprentices being female. The BMW program has a total of seven trainers and five classrooms. Within the apprenticeship program, students are given opportunities to work in the fields of mechanics, electric, car tech and numeric machines. It takes two years to complete a certification and students typically follow this basic schedule: Term 1 + Term 2 + Term 3 = Exam Term 4 + Term 5 + Term 6 = Exam. Once they have completed the program students can apply for a job in the fields of vehicle technology and production, production and mechanic, automotive mechanics, electronic and systems engineers or IT specialists.
When one of my fellow TOP teachers asked one of the gentlemen in charge of the apprenticeship program what they are looking for in a worker he stated that in order to be hired at BMW workers must be able to collaborate, have a willingness to learn and a willingness to listen. I found this so important as these same skills are at the forefront of my classroom each day and it is wonderful to see that one of the world’s top automotive companies values and emphases these skills as well.
We had to quickly wrap up our tour so we wouldn’t miss our tour of the Reichstag building once we arrived in Berlin, but we were each given jars of BMW honey that are produced from the bees that pollinate the apple trees on the property. It was a wonderful gift that highlights the sustainability that the BMW Leipzig plant is constantly working towards.
If you find yourself near Leipzig and would like to go on a tour they are open to the public – click on this link to learn more: https://www.bmwgroup-werke.com/leipzig/en/our-plant/plant-tours.html