Jaguar Land Rover rewarded for investment in technology
WHEN it comes to manufacturers with a global brand and a household name, few can rival West Midlands giant Jaguar Land Rover.
Since forming in 2008 following the £1.15 billion takeover of Jaguar and Land Rover by Tata Motors, the firm has gradually expanded in the region to become one its largest employers.
Jaguar Land Rover now has production and R&D facilities in Castle Bromwich, Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire alongside its HQ in Whitley.
Perhaps, it was no surprise then that our judging panel was impressed with the firm’s expansion plans and continual drive to broaden its product range and target new markets and technologies such as hybrid and all-electric vehicles.
Jamie Whitehead, operations director for Jaguar Land Rover at its Castle Bromwich plant, said: “I think the judges were impressed by the amount of investment we have made in tech- nology in the last ten years all over the company.
“We are the world leaders in aluminium body construction and assembly techniques and we major on that within our products.
“Our investment has been across the whole group, from the engine plant in Wolverhampton, to Solihull and Castle Bromwich and also Halewood in Merseyside. “And this investment doesn’t stop.” Mr Whitehead said the luxury car manufacturer was on a continual growth curve which would not stop as the firm strived to cement its place in the market and stay ahead of its rivals. He added: “It is still extremely hard work for us and we are still pushing as hard now as we have been for the past eight years and that’s what will continue to happen for the next five years.
“The hard task is staying one step ahead in a really changing industry and we are intent on doing that. The whole market is extremely competitive at the moment and the change in technology is happening at an unprecedented pace into electrification.
“That’s a big change for everybody and we are going to stay in front.”