BMW car owners in China will spend less time on repairs and maintenance as the German car maker has opened a new auto parts distribution center in Shanghai to improve supply efficiency.

The BMW Regional Distribution Center Shanghai is in Minhang District, southwest Shanghai. It covers 9,000 square meters with options to expand to 15,000 square meters in the future, Munich-based BMW said in a statement.

The center can store 15,000 kinds of spare parts with expectations to deliver an estimated 290,000 car components every year.

"The Shanghai center will help to shorten the delivery of car components to dealers, particularly in central China," said Ma Qingsheng, an official from BMW China, said yesterday.

It's BMW's second auto parts distribution center on the Chinese mainland. The other is in Beijing while there is also a warehouse in Hong Kong.

"The new center will help us improve operational efficiency from parts ordering, imports, warehousing and distribution," Ma added.

BMW's sales picked up quickly after it added new models, localized production to cut costs and added dealerships.

(Shanghai Daily November 13, 2007)