Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is to spend an additional £1bn with UK suppliers over the next four years, in addition to the £2bn figure it awarded to more than 40 UK suppliers providing components, facilities and services to support the Range Rover Evoque production line at Halewood, Merseyside, in March 2011.
The Range Rover Evoque went on sale in September 2011 and has already sold 60,111 units around the world in the up until the end of April.
Increasing levels of exports has also resulted in new jobs as JLR also confirmed that it will open a new logistics facility this summer in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, to support global sales. The new site at Ellesmere Port utilises an existing 37,000m2 purpose-built automotive logistics facility.
JLR’s logistics provider, DHL, will manage this purpose-built automotive logistics site to enhance its existing operations at JLR’s Halewood plant, creating around 300 new jobs.
Dr Ralf Speth, CEO Jaguar Land Rover, said: The demand we have seen across the globe for the Range Rover Evoque means we are able to significantly increase what we spend with our suppliers, which is great news for the UK economy, and the thousands of jobs JLR supports in its supply chain.”
Paul Dyer, managing director of DHL supply chain’s automotive services in the UK and Ireland, commented: “We are delighted to continue our support for JLR’s ever-growing expansion plans. As the UK’s North West region is fast becoming a major supply chain hub for the automotive industry, this new facility will greatly enhance the next stage of the company’s development and future success.”
In March 2012, JLR announced the creation of 1,000 new jobs at its Halewood plant, which will support production of the Range Rover Evoque and Land Rover Freelander 2.
This recruitment campaign received over 30,000 applicants and will take the workforce at Halewood to almost 4,500, trebling the number of people employed there compared to this time three years ago.
The plant is moving to three shifts and 24 hour production but has received some negative reaction from the workforce over pay packages. Negotiations are ongoing.
