Geek+, the global leader in AMR technology, and BMW Brilliance Automotive (BBA), one of China’s leading premium automotive manufacturers, announced the automation of a highly advanced BMW-producing factory in China. Particularly, they will employ Geek+’s goods-to-person picking solution. Thus, making it the world’s leading­ BMW-producing facility with goods-to-person AMRs.

BBA’s plant was the first BMW factory in China. Particularly, it produces iconic vehicles, such as the BMW 5-series, the new X5, and the innovative all-electric iX3. In order to modernize operations and keep up with accelerating demand, BBA chose Geek+’s game-changing goods-to-person solution to shift operations up a gear. The solution was at high speed: The AMRs were in place and underway ahead of schedule in only two months from start to finish.

Accelerates Industry 4.0

The plant represents a significant milestone for both companies on the road to Industry 4.0. BBA and Geek+ are working together to develop both software and hardware to power the digital intelligence upgrade. The new software aims to refine warehouse management systems by connecting upstream and downstream systems. Furthermore, hardware upgrades include customization of the AMRs to meet the unique requirements of BMW and the auto industry.

Ralf Schieder, vice president of BBA Strategy and Logistics, said, “This project is an important step in BMW Brilliance’s move towards smart manufacturing and digital factories, and a key milestone in our logistics transformation! I like to call it ‘collaborative innovation.’ We worked closely with Geek+ to develop an efficient and flexible smart logistics solution, which not only realized the integration and coherence of the warehouse management system, but also provided us with more flexible and faster solutions for future upgrades and renovations, setting a model of a people-oriented sustainable green factory for the industry.”

Yong Zheng, founder and CEO at Geek+, said: “AMR technology holds tremendous potential for the automotive industry, and we are very proud to be able to demonstrate that with what we’ve achieved with BMW Brilliance Automotive. Working together to create digital logistics and advancing the digital standard in the auto manufacturing industry has been a real pleasure. This digital upgrade definitely puts BBA in the driver’s seat for the ongoing digital transformation in their industry.”

In addition, the plant is also recognized for its highly sustainable advanced production technology, environmentally friendly plant design, and various environmental protection and energy-saving measures. Geek+ and BBA will continue to build on this success by optimizing operational processes and human-robot interaction to produce automobiles ready for whatever roads lay ahead.