Technology Exterior components from BMW Group plant Leipzig win “Automotive Lean Production Award”

Leipzig. Technology Exterior Components (TEK) is located on site as an organizational unit of the Purchasing and Supplier Network department. With its 450 employees, the company produces more than one million plastic exterior skin parts each year using injection moulding, such as bumpers, sills and wings. In addition to Leipzig, the BMW Group plants in Dingolfing and Regensburg are also supplied with spare parts.

In its assessment, the jury praised the continued pursuit of the “TEK 2028” mission statement, which drives the transformation of the production system from a manufacturer focused primarily on vehicle sets to a large-scale producer of BMW cars only in series (JIS). The combination of lean principles and advanced digital approaches was highlighted as a key success factor.

Christoph Thiselmann, Head of Production for Exterior Components in Leipzig, is delighted with the award: “I am very proud of this important stage victory and would like to thank all employees for the exceptional team effort. Our technology award is a first-class confirmation that we have made significant progress on the path to transformation. We still have big steps ahead of us and will constantly work to further develop and improve innovations and efficiency.

The jury was particularly impressed by the diverse digital applications implemented at TEK. These include areas such as data analytics, assembly workstation planning and optimization, quality assurance, predictive maintenance, and virtual factory planning and operation – an excellent mix of top-down and bottom-up initiatives.

The award is presented for the 18th time by management consulting firm Agamus Consult and the trade magazine Automobil Produktions. The award ceremony will take place in Palmela, Portugal, on November 26 and 27, 2024.