Carmaker Jaguar Land Rover is creating 1,300 new jobs after announcing its newest model will be made in Britain.
The announcement has been hailed by the government as a ringing endorsement of the health of the UK’s automotive industry and a boost for the economy.
The jobs will be created at JLR’s Solihull plant where the firm will build the new Jaguar crossover sports utility vehicle (SUV).
Chief executive Ralf Speth said the announcement “once again demonstrates our commitment to the UK and the advancement of a hi-tech, high-skilled, manufacturing-led economy”.
The moves were hailed by business secretary Vince Cable as “great news for British manufacturing and a ringing endorsement of our expertise in innovation and technology”.
The firm already employs more than 30,000 people in the UK, and the new jobs are an addition to the 1,700 announced last year at the same plant to build Jaguar’s newest sports saloon, the XE.
JLR announced the latest jobs boost as part of its long-term strategy of investing in aluminium and lightweight technologies.
The company has already poured £1.5bn into expanding the Solihull plant, to ramp up production.
Announcing the news from Detroit, at the North American International Auto Show, Speth said JLR was committed to building great cars “crafted with that special British flair”.
He added: “We want to improve the quality of life for our customers and for our own employees, creating opportunities for more people.”
JLR, which backed Prince Harry’s Invictus Games, said it would welcome job applications from former armed forces personnel, and those about to leave the services.
Cable said: “The UK’s automotive industry is thriving, with a new car rolling off the production line every 20 seconds, and increasing levels of investment that’s helping to secure local jobs.
“Through our industrial strategy, we are backing companies like JLR as they go from strength to strength.”
JLR, which has a turnover of £19.4bn a year, has enjoyed strong growth around the globe, more than doubling its sales over the last five years.
The Midlands economy has directly benefited from that growth, with a near doubling of the Solihull site’s workforce over the past three years – 9,450 are already employed there.
At the end of last year, JLR also unveiled a new £500m engine plant in Wolverhampton, which was opened by the Queen.
By the time the engine manufacturing centre reaches full production capacity, it will have generated 1,400 jobs, according to the company.
The carmaker’s domestic and overseas sales have both showed healthy growth in the last year.
JLR sold 462,678 vehicles worldwide in 2014 – a rise of 9% on its 2013 total. China was the firm’s biggest market last year, accounting for 122,000 sales – a 28% rise on the total for 2013.
UK sales, at nearly 83,000, were up 7% last year, with North American sales rising 2% to just under 75,000.
Land Rover had its best year in 2014, with sales rising 9% to 381,108. Jaguar sales, at 81,570 last year, were up 6% and were the best for 10 years. Last year was JLR’s fifth successive year of sales growth.
JLR group sales operations director Andy Goss said 2014 had been a year of significant achievements, adding that in 2015 the company anticipated reaching the half million annual sales mark for the first time.
