JLR ‘searching for major new site’

VEHICLE manufacturer Jaguar Land Rover could be set for a major expansion of its UK production operation with reports claiming the company is searching for a sizeable plot of land on which to site a new depot or manufacturing facility.

The company’s ongoing expansion in the UK is underlined by its development of a new £500m engine factory on the i54 site near Wolverhampton. The company has already announced it is double the size of the original factory.

Reports now suggest the Indian-owned company is looking for a further site close to its existing manufacturing facilities in either the West Midlands or the North West, close to its Halewood plant.

According to website SHD Logistics, the company is understood to be searching for a 30-40 acre plot with a requirement for up to 450,000 sq ft of mixed distribution and manufacturing space.

The website said it believed surveyor Montagu Evans, which has offices in London and Manchester, was advising on the project. Neither JLR nor Montagu Evans has commented on the reports.

Meanwhile, Workers employed by logistics supplier DHL will stage half-hour walkouts at the factories in Halewood, Castle Bromwich and Solihull today.

The DHL employees, who work alongside the JLR workers, are seeking pay parity with those employed by the Indian-owned group. Tata Motors has urged DHL and the Unite union to try and reach a resolution as quickly as possible.

The firm has also said it has contingencies in place to ensure that production of its vehicles is not impacted by the stoppages.