Tata Motors to merge JLR plants, create additional 800 jobs
25 Sep 2009
In a bid to consolidate its UK operations, Tata Motors, is planning to merge two of its three Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) plants in the Midlands over the next five years.
The move would not affect any jobs, JLR says, but create 800 new jobs at the Halewood plant producing the new baby Range Rover model.
JLR said yesterday that it will merge its two West Midlands factories, one at Castle Bromwich in Birmingham, which makes Jaguars and the other in Solihull that makes Range Rovers, into one by 2014.
Production and work will be transferred in a phased manner from 2010 until 2014 between the sites, which are located only eight miles apart.
The carmaker said that it has not yet decided which of the two plants will be merged, but will take a decision by the first half of 2010 after reviewing the costs, productivity and talks with the union.
The merger would lead to the creation of up to 800 extra jobs at its Halewood plant in Liverpool, which will be producing the low-carbon and more efficient car, the 'baby Land Rover.'