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GREER, S.C. (AP) -- BMW Manufacturing Co. says it will hire an additional 600 workers at its Greer plant to work as they are needed to assemble the company's vehicles.

BMW told multiple media outlets on Monday it will hire the new employees at job fairs Oct. 13 and Oct. 20 at Spartanburg Community College's Tyger River Campus.

BMW has announced 1,600 new jobs over the past three months as it ramps up production of the X3 SUV. The German automaker says it needs more employees to help with continued demand for its X5 and X6 models.

The latest workers will be "contingent associates," called in to work as the company needs them.

The new hires will increase BMW's work force to about 8,000 employees at its plant located between Greenville and Spartanburg.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)