Jaguar Landrover closing factories.

[margaret]

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/j...down-bqq6gs7jj




The Times September 23 2018
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is considering shutting its factories for several weeks next April in contingency planning for a no-deal Brexit.
Britain’s biggest car maker is understood to be mulling over a similar move to that announced by BMW, which is bringing forward its annual summer shutdown at its Oxford factory to follow the country’s March 29 departure from the EU. JLR’s move would affect about 10,000 workers at four UK factories that build cars and engines.
It reflects growing turmoil in Britain’s car industry, which is on the retreat after several years of blockbuster growth. It has been hurt by weak consumer confidence, Brexit jitters and the slump in demand for diesel engines.
BMW last week told workers it planned to close its Mini factory in Oxford for at least a month from April 1, as a contingency measure against the risk that tariffs and customs checks bring the industry to a grinding halt.
JLR chief executive Ralf Speth has spoken to BMW in recent months and discussed bringing forward its own summer shutdown. The company said: “We are planning for different scenarios while keeping our options open — no final decisions have been taken.”

[margaret]

What is happening hear is that the Europhile heads of the motor industry in Britain are extremely unhappy with Brexit and will do everything in their power to undermine it. Moving jobs abroad has been on the agenda for a while with these people.

[rebbonk]

Let's not forget that the head of JLR is German!

Despite what is being said in the local press about JLR, they aren't profitable, apart from on paper. They make too few cars to recoup their upfront model investment and the UK labour rates are extremely high. It makes perfect sense to move the production facilities to cheaper labour markets.

[margaret]

Let's not forget that the head of JLR is German!

Despite what is being said in the local press about JLR, they aren't profitable, apart from on paper. They make too few cars to recoup their upfront model investment and the UK labour rates are extremely high. It makes perfect sense to move the production facilities to cheaper labour markets.

That is explosive stuff and very interesting.
Suffice to say if JLR is closing, I think it will cause vast political turmoil not to mention the economic and social effects.

Do you know if the plant in Gaydon will close or reduce staff?

[rebbonk]

I fear (that if Brexit is successful) JLR will create one massive sh*tstorm and move abroad with their production facilities in a fit of pique. They will obviously, and publicly, blame Brexit. But in any event, I expect them to gradually become less dependent on the UK for production facilities until they can wind them up. I guess we'll see a 5-10 year run down.

Of course, they will keep design/development here in order to claim the "Britishness" of the marques, but whether the buying public will wear this is open to debate.

[rebbonk]

I would guess that Gaydon is safe as it is design/development and a lot of money has been invested there over the years.

[cathidaw]

That is explosive stuff and very interesting.
Suffice to say if JLR is closing, I think it will cause vast political turmoil not to mention the economic and social effects.

Do you know if the plant in Gaydon will close or reduce staff?

I'm sure it will.I have a friend who left a 'good' job to work there last year for a better future. now if they do close he'll be one of the first to go,if its last in first out.

[rebbonk]

I'm sure it will.I have a friend who left a 'good' job to work there last year for a better future. now if they do close he'll be one of the first to go,if its last in first out.

I would think that as long as he works for R&D he'll unlikely have any problems. R&D have been short of engineers for years. That is, of course, as long as they don't decide to scale back on models and model year refreshes. (Something that IMO they ought be cutting back on.) However, if your friend is working in any of the production related groups at Gaydon, that is a different kettle of fish. I suspect that purchasing will be one of the first areas affected, and sales and marketing won't be too far behind.