Jaguar Land Rover set to recruit 1,000 workers for Chinese plant
JAGUAR Land Rover is recruiting 1,000 people to work at its new plant in China. Reports in The Sunday Times said 50 workers had been undergoing special training at the firm’s plant in Halewood on Merseyside and they would travel to China at the end of October where they will pass on their skills to local recruits.
The new factory in Changshu is set to become JLR’s first ever, all-new manufacturing facility outside of the UK, although it currently re-assembles kits for Freelanders and Jaguar XFs at its plant in Pune.
The new factory, a joint venture operation with Chinese manufacturer Chery, is on track to begin production late next year.
It is expected the new factory will be capable of producing around 100,000 vehicles a year although this is set to rise steeply – possibly even double – in order to meet local demand. Such volumes would put the operation on a par with the firm’s plant in Solihull.
It is thought a Chinese-built version of the firm’s best-selling Range Rover Evoque will be the first vehicle off the production lines. However, as the vehicle is being produced in China it will be badged as the Aurora.
JLR chief executive Dr Ralf Speth said earlier this year: “Our joint venture project with Chery Automobile will see us build vehicles in China, for China. We are on-track towards starting vehicle production in late 2014 and we are actively sourcing Chinese suppliers that are supporting the construction of our factory and developing our component supply chain.”
In 2012 China became JLR’s largest global market selling nearly 72,000 vehicles, up 71%. This year, it has sustained growth momentum and in July – a record month for the business – with year-on- year sales to China were up 36%.
JLR’s overseas expansion could also see the firm set up a new plant in Brazil, as well as a special aluminium operation in Saudi Arabia.
The company has said it expects a decision on the new plant in Brazil before Christmas, while it has already signed a letter of intent with authorities in the Gulf.
The Indian-owned business is now Britain’s biggest exporter of manufactured goods, generating export revenues of around £11bn a year.
The company’s domestic operations are being boosted by the development of a new £0.5bn engine plant at the i54 site, near Wolverhampton and a £1.5bn investment in advanced manufacturing facilities at its Lode Lane plant. It has also agreed to part fund the new National Automotive Innovation Centre (NAIC) at the University of Warwick and is collaborating with various other R&D projects.
