BMW Brilliance marked the debut of its 1 millionth vehicle when a white BMW 328 Li rolled off the assembly line at the automaker's Tiexi plant in Shenyang, Liaoning province, on Jan 8.

The milestone came 11 years and four months after the joint venture's first locally made vehicle was produced, the shortest time of any premium automaker in China, according to BMW.

"More importantly, we set an example in terms of quality, efficiency and sustainable development in China's premium car making industry," said Olaf Kastner, president and CEO of BMW Brilliance.

BMW Brilliance was established in May 2003 and unveiled the first China-made BMW model in October that year.

During the past five years, the joint venture has invested more than 2 billion euro ($2.3 billion) in its production facilities.

Its Dadong and Tiexi plants, both in Shenyang, now have a combined annual capacity of 300,000 units, with the figure expected to grow to 400,000 in two years, according to the company.

BMW Brilliance has produced BMW's turbocharged engines since 2012. It established its own research and development center in 2013, which has more than 500 staff members.

BMW has introduced its advanced technologies into the joint venture. For example, BMW's latest foundry workshop for engine components will be put in place when a new engine plant starts operation in Shenyang in 2016.

The joint venture is accelerating its pace to localize production of BMW models. It now produces standard-wheelbase and long-wheelbase 3 Series and 5 Series cars as well as BMW's compact class SAV X1.

The long-wheelbase 3 Series and 5 Series models were specially designed for the Chinese market, according to the company.

In July, BMW announced that it would soon add another three models to the BMW Brilliance portfolio.

The joint venture's rapid development has boosted local economic development and helped nurture professionals in the auto industry.

Statistics showed that the company has more than 14,000 employees.

BMW Brilliance works with 280 suppliers, helping create more job opportunities and improve their partners' competitiveness in the global auto industry.

Sustainable development

The joint venture said it focused on sustainable development and that the Tiexi plant was one example of this.

Sustainability was a top priority from the beginning in the design and construction of the plant, said BMW Brilliance.

For instance, an energy tunnel, which was dug during the first phase of construction, gathers all the pipelines into one place, including electricity, water and heat.

The plant is equipped with waste-recycling facilities and also has a wind power facility.

BMW Brilliance introduced a wide range of environmentally friendly technologies to cut emissions, including BMW EfficientDynamics.

Statistics showed the technology helped drive down average fuel consumption in BMW's entire fleet by 30 percent.

Several of the automaker's models emit less than the European Union target of 120 grams per kilometer of carbon dioxide and another 25 percent is expected to be cut by 2020, according to the company.

BMW Brilliance became the first to have a 5S dealership-the fifth S for sustainability-concept in the auto industry in 2012 by calling on dealers to fulfill their corporate responsibilities to the environment and society.

The joint venture implemented a corporate social responsibility campaign adapted to China's conditions.

This included the company's Culture Journey. Through the scheme trips to 21 provinces and municipalities have taken place during the past eight years. The trips provided a chance to explore more than 210 intangible cultural heritage items and raised a total of 8 million yuan ($1.3 million) to protect them.

The joint venture is also calling on other companies and the public to practice social responsibility.

BMW Brilliance organized a sustainability and corporate social responsibility forum for two consecutive years to bring together experts from different fields to review their experience and discuss strategies for a more innovative and responsible future.

At the 2014 forum the company announced that it had become the first joint venture in China's auto industry to join the UN Global Compact.

Initiated by former Secretary-General Kofi Annan in 2000, the UN program encourages businesses worldwide to adopt sustainable and socially responsible policies and to report on the implementation of them.

BMW Brilliance pioneered e-mobility among premium automakers.

It unveiled its own brand ZINORO in April 2013 and the first product of the new brand, the 1E, made its debut later in the same year.

Instead of selling the cars, the joint venture decided to rent them, which it said was believed to help improve the popularity of electric vehicles.

The ZINORO is part of BMW Brilliance's "in China and for China" new-energy vehicle strategy released in 2011 when it showcased a plug-in hybrid 5 Series prototype car at the Shanghai auto show.

The mass-produced plug-in hybrid 5 Series made its world debut in late 2014 in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, and BMW Brilliance said it would hit the market soon.

lifusheng@chinadaily.com.cn

The milestone came 11 years and four months after the joint venture's first locally made vehicle was produced, the shortest time of any premium automaker in China, according to BMW.  Photos Provided to China Daily

(China Daily 01/12/2015 page19)