BMW Group is currently operating 730 programmes designed to reduce the carbon footprint and waste generated by all its manufacturing operations in the UK. One particularly innovative initiative was a new electro-coating facility, which replaced the three-stage bath system, bringing savings in both materials and energy while maintaining excellent corrosion protection.
Other measures implemented at Plant Oxford include the installation of a new bodyshop, building insulation, energy saving sleep mode for robots, heat wheels in the roof to regulate heating and cooling, and water harvesting. During 2013, the combined impact of 175 energy saving initiatives at Plant Oxford and Plant Swindon yielded almost 47.8GWh of energy savings- equivalent to the energy consumed by 2,400 average UK homes in a year.
