Mini Cooper Oxford plant celebrates 100 years of car making

MINI Plant Oxford is celebrating 100 years of production and to mark the occasion, a centenary exhibition was opened at the plant’s new Visitor Centre last month by Britain’s Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin and Member of the Board of Management at BMW Harald Krüger. 100 years ago to the day, the plant’s first car – a “Bullnose” Morris Oxford – was built just a stone’s throw away from where the current MINI production facility stands. Back in 1913 weekly production stood at 20 vehicles, but over the years that followed the factory’s output was to grow rapidly. To date, the plant has produced over 11.65 million cars bearing the badges of 14 different brands. Some 500,000 people have worked here over the years, the workforce peaking at 28,000 in the early 1960s. Today, Plant Oxford employs 3,700 associates and builds up to 900 MINI cars every day. More than 2.25 million MINIs have rolled off the assembly line since production began. This historic occasion also elicited congratulations and best wishes from arguably England’s most famous address – 10 Downing Street. “The substantial contribution which the Oxford plant has made to the British economy over the last 100 years is something all involved should be proud of,” said Prime Minister David Cameron.