BMW Greer Plant to Change Leadership

A shift in leadership at BMW Manufacturing Co. in Greer will happen later this year.

The company announced Wednesday that Josef Kerscher, who since 2007 has been president of the Spartanburg County plant, will assume new responsibilities as managing director of BMW Plant Dingolfing in Bavaria, Germany.

Manfred Erlacher, currently managing director of BMW Plant Leipzig in Saxony, Germany, has been been named the new president. He will assume his new role Nov. 1.

Under Kerscher's leadership, the BMW plant in Spartanburg, nearly tripled production, going from 105,000 vehicles in 2006 to more than 301,000 vehicles in 2012. During the same period, the Spartanburg plant became the largest exporter of cars from the United States. 

At present, the Spartanburg plant is completing a $900 million expansion to increase production capacity to 350,000 vehicles per year and to prepare for the launch of an entirely new vehicle, the X4 in 2014. The plant is the global manufacturing home for the BMW X5, X6 and X3, and is the company's Center of Competence for X Vehicle Manufacturing.

Erlacher has just led BMW Plant Leipzig through a major expansion in order to manufacture the revolutionary new BMW i3 and i8.