Celebrating 4,000,000 engines at Hams Hall

The dedication and achievement of employees who have manufactured more than four million engines at BMW Plant Hams Hall has been celebrated at a special event.

More than 1,500 people attended the family day event which featured a raft of fun activities including car displays, all the fun of the fair and a chance to tour the factory.

The day marked 15 years of sustained and successful production of low-emission and highly efficient engines at Plant Hams Hall in what is also BMW’s centenary year.

The workforce and their families got the opportunity to learn about BMW’s vision for future mobility, plus the chance to see a display of classic cars including a BMW M1 and a BMW 327. Also on display were electric and hybrid models that are on the market today, including the BMW i8 plug-in hybrid sports car and the BMW 225xe, which Hams Hall employees have a direct hand in crafting.

The Birmingham PlayCare Network supported the event along with local artists Maxine Heyward and ‘We are Frilly’ to create a BMW i8 piece of art, a model MINI and to challenge guests to build their car of the future, all made of pieces of materials recycled from the plant.

Plant director Markus Fallboehmer said: “The family day is a great way for us to thank our employees here at Hams Hall. Since 2001 we have built in excess of four million engines for BMWs and MINIs and that success is down to the passion and dedication of everyone in the team here. 

"We have a lot to be proud of and it’s fantastic we can come together with our families and enjoy a fun day out.”

In 2016 the plant continues to go from strength-to-strength, producing the newest, most efficient engines, including petrol power units for MINI as well as the BMW Group’s latest hybrid models. The plant also has one of the most modern and advanced, high-tech machining halls where the capability to machine engine components has trebled since a major investment in recent years.