BMW has no plans to move production from Brexit Britain
BMW is not considering moving production out of Britain because of Brexit-linked uncertainty, board member Ian Robertson confirmed today.
When asked by a reporter at a conference whether the German car manufacturer was “actively considering” moving production out of Britain due to uncertainty over future trade relationships, Robertson said: “no we’re not.”
“We are committed to our operations in the UK, our workforce here,” he added.
This contrasts comments published in the Financial Times yesterday which suggested the German carmaker had joined Airbus in its warning that British jobs would be under threat from a ‘no deal’ Brexit.
Read more: BMW warns Brexit could force UK plant closures
“We always said we can do our best and prepare everything, but if at the end of the day the supply chain will have a stop at the border, then we cannot produce our products in the UK,” BMW customs manager Stephan Freismuth was quoted as saying.
Robertson said those comments were taken out of context and referred to supply chain disruption resulting in delays to production at factories.
Around 60 per cent of the 378,000 Minis made by BMW last year rolled off the production line in Oxford. Its factories in Swindon, Hams Hall and Oxford currently employ around 6,300 workers to make BMW engines and Mini vehicles.
And about 90 per cent of the parts used in the company’s British plants come from Europe. A spokesperson for the department for business, energy and industrial strategy said it was confident the government would secure a good deal with the EU.
Read more: Brexit: Airbus threatens to pull out of UK if no deal reached