Jaguar Land Rover plans to create 1,700 new UK jobs

Jaguar Land Rover announced plans on Tuesday to create 1700 new jobs at their Solihull plant as part of a £1.5billion investment expanding the carmaker’s product range.

This new investment from the company’s owners, Indian Tata Motors, is not only a big boost to local employment but also to suppliers and service firms around the country, who are also expected to benefit.

A key focus of the new investment will be on aluminium chassis technology.

Aluminium is becoming increasingly popular with carmakers because it is light-weight and, therefore, improves the fuel efficiency of cars.

Jaguar Land Rover chief executive Dr Ralf Speth, speaking at the Frankfurt Motor Show, said: “Today’s announcement signals Jaguar Land Rover’s ambitions to push the boundaries and redefine premium car ownership.

“At Jaguar Land Rover we place the customer at the heart of everything we do and the introduction of a world-class, all-new aluminium vehicle architecture means we will be more competitive, flexible and efficient delivering exciting new products for our customers around the world.”

The government has welcomed this new investment and has highlighted it as another sign of economic recovery in the UK. Septh added: “Jaguar Land Rover is a business driven by design, technology and innovation and this investment and level of job creation is yet further evidence of our commitment to advancing the capability of the UK automotive sector and its supply chain.”

Indeed, Business Secretary Vince Cable stated: “Jaguar Land Rover has been experiencing great success over the last couple of years but this ground-breaking project takes Jaguar on to the next level.”

Adding: ”This all-aluminium architecture project typifies the type of innovative and high-value R&D that the UK excels in and Government is supporting through the automotive industrial strategy.“

Union leaders have praised the company for investing in Britain and the British workforce.

Leader of the Unite union, Len McCluskey stated: “JLR is a great British success story, and this new investment in jobs and skills ought to maintain its global reputation for world-class vehicles.

“The UK workforce, with their skills and dedication, are at the heart of this success. This investment is their due reward and we are delighted that JLR has committed further to Britain,” he said.

Jaguar Land Rover has two further advanced manufacturing facilities in the UK, one in Castle Bromwich and another in Halewood.

Simon Wyatt