BMW Group selects GXO Logistics to manage logistics operations at its MINI manufacturing plant in Swindon, UK
Pure-play contract logistics provider GXO has been selected by BMW Group to manage logistics operations at one of its UK manufacturing facilities. The site in Swindon, Wiltshire, produces pressed parts for MINI vehicles and some parts for the wider BMW Group network.
Under the new partnership, announced on February 9, 2026, GXO Logistics is set to lead the warehouse operations of car parts at the site in Swindon, aiming to optimise BMW Group’s supply chain and further strengthen automotive production resilience across the UK.
BMW Group has described its plant in Swindon as "an integral part of BMW Group’s production network", producing parts and panels made for the MINI cars which are then assembled at Plant Oxford as well as BMW models produced at other international facilities in BMW Group’s global network.
Built in 1955, the Swindon site employs 500 people, spanning 425,000 sq. m. It is here where all ‘hang-on parts’ – such as doors, bonnets, tailgates and fenders – for the MINI vehicles produced at the group's plant Oxford are made, including for the MINI Cooper 3 and 5 door hatch as well as the MINI convertible.
“We’re excited to begin this new chapter with BMW Group at their facility in Swindon,” said Martin Cooper, managing director of technology and consumer goods at GXO UK&I. “We’ve seen great success applying smart logistics solutions across a range of industries, and we look forward to driving efficiencies, strengthening resilience and building a future-proof platform for growth for BMW Group.”
GXO has said that this partnership marks a milestone in its expansion in the UK automotive sector, and aims to "roll out smarter processes, upgrade technology and optimise the plant layout to support BMW Group’s drive for greater efficiency, innovation and resilience across their supply chain".
These enhancements, it has said, will enable the Swindon site to "meet the evolving production needs that the Oxford production plant demands".
BMW Group's Hams Hall plant celebrates 25 years in operation
On the same day GXO announced it would be managing operations at BMW Group's Swindon site – February 9 – another of the group's UK plants celebrated a major milestone. BMW Group's Hams Hall plant, situated near Birmingham, celebrated the 25th anniversary of its opening back in 2001.
Since its opening, the facility has produced more than 7.6 million ICE engines for a variety of BMW Group vehicle models for its BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce brands.
Today, the Hams Hall plant produces three- and four-cylinder petrol engines for high-performance V8 engines, powering vehicles across both the BMW and MINI brands. Additionally, the V12 engine is produced at the plant exclusively for Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.
"This anniversary is a special milestone for our site," said Dirk Dreher, Head of the BMW Group's Hams Hall plant. "We are a competitive plant and there’s always been a real passion among our workforce to continually improve our manufacturing processes and site. Building on our strong foundation, we are looking forward to remaining a successful plant in the future."
The Hams Hall engine plant has been systematically implementing the principles of the BMW iFactory, which focuses on sustainability, electrification, digitalisation and profitability. Since its first full year of production, the Hams Hall plant has seen a 61% reduction in energy required per engine built, meaning the overall energy to operate the site has remained level despite a considerable increase in production.
In addition, it purchases 100% of its external electricity from renewable energy sources and has worked to reduce its consumption of natural gas.
From an innovation perspective, the Hams Hall team were joined in 2024 by an autonomous robotic dog named “SpOTTO", which scans the plant, supports maintenance and ensures production processes run smoothly. Developed by Boston Dynamics, the robot is equipped with visual, thermal and acoustic sensors, collecting valuable data for the plant’s digital twin.
This digital twin is a core part of the Hams Hall plant’s digital transformation. It comprises three levels: the generation of 3D representations of the entire plant; a large data layer continuously updated with information from the SpOTTO robotic dog, the plant’s manufacturing equipment and its IT systems; and the application level, where dedicated programmes organise the collected data into comprehensible units. This information can be leveraged at the site for tasks such as production planning and quality assurance.
