Automobile manufacturer BMW on Monday opened a new vehicle distribution center at Tradepoint Atlantic Terminal in Sparrows Point, which will support more than 125 BMW and MINI dealers across central and eastern regions of the United States.
The 35-acre site, located at 1301 Shipyard Road, includes a 75,000-square-foot building, which almost doubles the size of BMW’s footprint compared to its previous location on Broening Highway.
The distribution center will generate 70 jobs, Tradepoint Atlantic spokesperson Hannah Marr said.
The center will receive vehicles from manufacturing facilities; distribute vehicles to dealers; and perform vehicle inspections, repairs, accessory installations, vehicle programming and maintenance.
“Vehicle distribution centers are a critically important part of our operations, helping to support our dealer network, and ultimately in getting vehicles into customers hands,” Claus Eberhart, vice president of after-sales service for BMW of North America, said in a statement.
The new distribution center will be able to process 100,000 vehicles annually, Eberhart said.
Tradepoint Atlantic will give BMW access to “deep water berths and proximity to rail and highway transportation,” BMW officials said.
BMW officials added that the company was also drawn to Tradepoint Atlantic’s focus on sustainability. The BMW distribution center will include smart lighting throughout the building, a water reclamation system in the facility’s car wash, recycling of aluminum, plastic and cardboard; and a design that reduces vehicle movement and emissions and make workflow more efficient.
Tradepoint Atlantic Managing Director Kerry Doyle said Tradepoint Atlantic is proud to be part of BMW’s expansion in Maryland and in the Port of Baltimore.
“BMW’s phenomenal record of operating in Maryland speaks for itself; combined with Tradepoint’s global logistics facility purpose-built to accommodate this exact kind of business, this vehicle distribution center is poised to deliver significant supply chain advantages for more than 100 dealerships and countless consumers throughout the region,” Doyle said in a statement.
Gov. Larry Hogan touted the creation of new jobs at the distribution center and its contribution to easing the supply chain crisis.
“The job creation and associated economic benefits are a game changer,” Hogan said in a statement. “But equally as important, this partnership allows the Port of Baltimore to continue leading the way in responding to the current supply chain crisis and cements our port’s vaunted status as the largest importer of automobiles in America for years to come.”
Maryland’s congressional delegation helped secure more than $500 million to “boost jobs, capacity, and efficiency in and around the Port [of Baltimore] over the past five years,” U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen said in a statement.
Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszweski Jr. said in a statement that the BMW distribution center’s opening represents “the latest sign of Sparrows Point’s transformation into a thriving economic engine for our entire state.”
“By significantly expanding their distribution efforts and creating even more jobs for our working families, BMW is doubling-down on Baltimore County, and we are grateful for their commitment to our region and the continued success of Tradepoint Atlantic as a flourishing hub for global commerce,” Olszewski said.
BMW of North America also operates vehicle distribution centers in New Jersey, Georgia, Texas and California, and serves 350 BMW and 105 MINI dealers nationwide. South Carolina is also home to the world’s largest BMW production facility, which has built more than 5 million BMW vehicles since the plant opened in 1994, company officials said.
