For months, there have been hints that something big is being built on the huge site south of Bundesstraße B8 in front of the gates of Straßkirchen. But now, something big can finally be seen. On Monday, the first of over 1,000 concrete pillars was erected, forming the basic structure of the 150,000 square meter production hall. Within ten weeks, this process should be completed.
The building is supposed to be winterproof by the end of the year. Then the construction company Goldbeck from Bielefeld, commissioned by BMW, will begin constructing the roof and setting the facade. „By the end of the year, we want to have the building enclosed,“ said the construction manager Silvia Meyer on the edge of the information session on Wednesday at the construction site. Once the roof is in place and the first facade parts are standing, the first floor slabs can also be poured.
One of the presentation slides on the screen in the information pavilion was titled „High Speed for High Voltage.“ The car manufacturer values a fast construction progress. The high-voltage batteries, which are supposed to be assembled in the new plant in Straßkirchen from 2026, are needed for the new electric car generation called „Gen six.“ Accordingly, the construction of the hall is mainly done with prefabricated parts. This is not only faster but also more sustainable due to the lower water consumption on-site. „Currently, we are exactly on schedule,“ said the head of the BMW project, Alexander Kiy.
260,000 cubic meters of topsoil excavated
Kiy also pointed out the increased traffic during the construction phase. „Not all traffic can run via the A92 and A8,“ said Kiy. This route is the main artery for the construction site. But because local and regional companies are involved in the project, about 20 to 25 percent of the traffic will flow through Straßkirchen. „These are contractually defined routes, and we also control them,“ added the project manager.
So far, the access roads have mainly seen trucks carrying humus loads. According to BMW, 260,000 cubic meters of fertile topsoil had been excavated. Over a third of this has now been relocated to gravel and clay pits. Private individuals could also collect humus soil at the construction site.
BMW wants to engage with citizens
The valuable soil was also a topic of discussion before the project. In a citizens‘ initiative last year, ultimately 70 percent of the voters were in favor of the plant. BMW also wants to remain in dialogue with the citizens in the future. The next event will take place on Friday – this time in the new information pavilion directly at the construction site near the B8.
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BMW has completed the establishment of the construction site for the new high-voltage battery assembly plant in Straßkirchen in the district of Straubing-Bogen.
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