Battery investment provides glimmer of hope on gloomy day for JLR

JLR's engine manufacturing centre in Wolverhampton

Jaguar Land Rover’s transformation project, known as “Charge and Accelerate”, offered some crumbs of comfort to the West Midlands on a difficult day for the thousands of people who rely on the automotive giant.

The manufacturer announced that later this year production of its next-generation Electric Drive Units (EDU) will begin at its Engine Manufacturing Centre in Wolverhampton.

The units will be powered by batteries built at a new Jaguar Land Rover Battery Assembly Centre at Hams Hall, in North Warwickshire.

However these announcements came alongside the news that JLR would be reducing its global workforce by 4,500 people.

The car giant has been facing significant difficulties caused by falling sales in China and the move away from diesel, as well as issues closer to its West Midlands headquarters led by Brexit uncertainty.

Greg Clark with Andy Street during a previous visit to the West Midlands

West Midlands Mayor Andy Street said: “Though the challenges faced by JLR are global issues, such as declining sales in China and declining diesel sales, this news acts as a reminder that it is vitally important to the West Midlands of securing a Brexit deal which allows frictionless trade between the UK and the EU.”

Street and his Conservative colleague, and Business Secretary, Greg Clark will bring together Jaguar Land Rover leadership, local MPs and representatives from the Midlands and the North West, supply chain, trade body and trades union representatives at a meeting on Monday to discuss the issues facing the company and its staff.

Clark said: “Jaguar Land Rover and its owners have made clear they remain firmly committed to the UK, continuing to invest billions and employing tens of thousands of people.”

In a statement, JLR emphasised the “transformation measures” were building on “unprecendented growth achieved over the past decade”.

The business has become the jewel in the West Midlands industrial crown, although a difficult year has seen it lose some of its sheen.

However JLR continues to reinforce its commitment to the region.

The Battery Assembly Centre located at Hams Hall will be one of the largest of its kind in the UK, using new production techniques and technologies to manufacture battery packs for future Jaguar and Land Rover vehicles.

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