JLR sets UK manufacturing benchmark

Jaguar Land Rover has been named the largest automotive manufacturer in Britain, accounting for more than 30% of all domestic car production last year.

It increased production by eight per cent to 544,401 units, accounting for five of the top 10 British best-sellers globally.

The latest figures underline the transformation undergone by Jaguar Land Rover, which has increased production from its British plants by more than 240% since 2009, when total annual production stood at 158,000 units.

Andy Goss, Jaguar Land Rover global sales director, said, ‘Jaguar Land Rover has once again shown that investment in new models, skills and advanced technology are critically important to ensure Britain has a thriving automotive industry, even in the face of current uncertainty.

‘To be the UK’s largest automotive business once again is a tremendous achievement. We are proud to call ourselves a British company and are committed to ensuring manufacturing remains the backbone of the British economy.’

Since 2010 Jaguar Land Rover has invested close to £4bn in its four British manufacturing plants, which together produce 10 model lines and the company’s advanced Ingenium diesel engines. This investment includes the installation of Europe’s largest aluminium body shop, two new state-of-the-art press lines and significant technology upgrades across all assembly lines. To support this considerable expansion, the company’s manufacturing headcount has grown from 7,700 in 2010 to more than 19,000 today, demonstrating its commitment to job creation.

With more than £3bon committed to product creation this fiscal year, Jaguar Land Rover is expecting the growth trend to continue.

This news followed the announcement from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) that UK car manufacturers set a new record in 2016, producing 1,727,471 vehicles.