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In 1994, BMW completed construction on its only manufacturing facility in the United States. Originally, the Greer, South Carolina plant was designed for production of 3-series sedans. Then in late 1995, the Z3 roadster went from the drawing board to production. The assembly line was rolling out both sedans and the new roadster. At that early juncture, the assembly workstations were utilizing industrial shelving, which was adequate for the small amount of parts needed. Once demand for the Z3 increased, management switched to all roadster production at the facility, but the industrial shelving couldn't handle the increased flow of parts. Management clearly wanted a better flow track, one that would be tough and flexible, and should - above all else - perform under heavy use.
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