BMW 2014 Annual Report Download - page 16

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Customer deliveries climbed more than 40 per cent between the end of 2007 and the end of 2014. Group
revenues increased by 44 per cent over the same period while pre-tax earnings more than doubled. During
this time, BMW common shares performed much better than the DAX. Our associates, as well as our share-
holders, benefit from this positive development through our preferred shares programme.
We owe our achievements to our associates worldwide Our successful business development is driven
by our 116,324 associates worldwide. Their skills, their performance and their dedication – each in his or her
own area of responsibility – contribute to the overall success of the company.
Our associates at all 30 BMW Group production sites in 14 countries are our most important success factor.
We are investing extensively in vocational and professional training to qualify them for new demands and
technologies, such as digitalisation. Between 2007 and the end of 2014 alone, we channelled around 1.8 billion
euros into vocational and professional training – more than in our Efficient Dynamics technology package.
People and technology have the same importance for us.
The younger generation ensures our future success: more than 1,500 apprentices worldwide embarked
on a career with us in September 2014; 1,200 of them in Germany. A total of 4,595 young people are currently
in vocational training with the BMW Group. This represents an increase of 150 over the previous year.
I would therefore like to thank all our associates on behalf of the Board of Management. I would also like
to thank all our business partners, and especially our suppliers, who play such a key part in our success.
And, of course, our thanks also extend to our entire retail organisation and the dealers who are our link to
the customer.
Customers have the choice: sheer driving pleasure also available with electric and hybrid drivetrains
The new BMW i family has further strengthened our image as the industry’s leading innovator. 2014 was the
first year of availability for the pure electric BMW i3. More than 16,000 customers chose this model, which
was specially designed for urban areas. The BMW i8 has been available to customers since summer. Orders for
the BMW i8 plug-in hybrid continue to well exceed the planned number of units for production. A total of
1,741 BMW i8 vehicles were delivered to customers from June to December.
We also use our know-how and experience with BMW i in series production of our other models. In autumn
2015, we will release our first plug-in hybrid BMW X model, the BMW X5 xDrive40e, which incorporates the
technological expertise gained from BMW i. The new BMW 7 Series is also set to become the benchmark for
lightweight design in its segment through the use of carbon fibre. Over time, all model series will be available
with electric drive technology. Climate protection policies worldwide will remain challenging and growing
urbanisation demands new mobility solutions.
We will continue to chart our own course with Efficient Dynamics, hybridisation and electromobility.
There is no way back. Average emissions for our European fleet currently stand at 130 grams of CO
2
per
kilometre.
At the same time, we are focusing on sustainable production and efficient use of resources. Since
2006, we have reduced average resource consumption per vehicle produced by 45 per cent. Sustainability
pays
dividends – in every respect.
Targeted expansion of our global production network We continue to aim for a balanced distribution
of sales between the three main economic regions of the world. This allows us to offset fluctuations in indi-
vidual markets and avoid overdependence on any single region. In 2014, Europe accounted for around 43 per
cent of sales, Asia 31 per cent and the Americas just under 23 per cent.
The global automobile market continues to expand: from around 62 million new vehicle registrations in
2007 to more than 80 million in 2014. We see no contradiction between participating in this growth and
maintaining the desirability of our premium brands. In 2014, we continued to create the conditions necessary
for strategic expansion of our global production network. In October, the first car rolled off the assembly
line at our new plant in Araquari, Brazil. This gives us a permanent presence in an important growth region.