BMW to open regional distribution center in west China

Shanghai, July 5 (Gasgoo.com) German luxury carmaker BMW AG will establish its fourth China-based regional distribution center in Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province, in Southwest China this month, Dr. Daniel Kirchert, Senior Vice President for marketing at Brilliance BMW Automotive Ltd. said. BMW will also set up a training center in the provincial capital.

Western China has seen an increasingly strong demand for high-end car models in recent years, and BMW's three existing distribution centers in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou are obviously inadequate for its market development now.

In 2009, BMW reported sales growth of 55.4% in western China, now the fastest growing market for BMW in the country, with its market share rising 2.4% in the entire western region. Moreover, BMW boosted 60% year-on-year sales growth in the first half of this year.

At present, BMW plans to expand its existing 19 stores in the region to 25 in 2010, and Chengdu will be taken as a major market due to its great sales momentum.

BMW has earlier made plans to expand its sales in eastern, southern, western and northern parts of China, but so far, it has not established any special office in the western region yet.