BUSS4 UK manufacturing - Jaguar Land Rover expands

Good news for UK manufacturing this week, as Jaguar Land Rover announce a rise in sales of 9% globally, with a quarter of those going to China, a 7% rise in the UK, as Land Rover have their best ever year and Jaguar their best for a decade.

The company (owned by Tata Steel) has invested £1.5bn into their plant in Solihull in the Midlands, and on Monday announced that they would create a further 1,300 jobs there, on top of 1,700 announced last year, to build their new 4x4 crossover model - you can find a video report about the new vehicle here.

Chief executive Ralf Speth said the announcement “once again demonstrates our commitment to the UK and the advancement of a hi-tech, high-skilled, manufacturing-led economy”. Not surprisingly, the government were delighted with the announcement as well. Business Secretary Vince Cable saw this as “great news for British manufacturing and a ringing endorsement of our expertise in innovation and technology. The UK’s automotive industry is thriving, with a new car rolling off the production line every 20 seconds, and increasing levels of investment that’s helping to secure local jobs.”

JLR are showing their CSR credentials in recruitment for those jobs. Having sponsored Prince Harry's Invictus Games last year, they have said that for these new posts they will particularly welcome applications from those leaving and about to leave the armed forces.

There are many useful reports about this story; for BUSS4 students wanting to add it to their research portfolio, a good place to start is this press release from JLR themselves.