Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has recommenced manufacturing at its Wolverhampton engine plant, marking a significant step in recovery from the severe cyberattack that compelled the British carmaker to suspend production for over a month.
The automotive giant confirmed it had initiated a "controlled, phased restart of operations" following the attack, which impacted its IT systems on 31 August and disrupted production across its factories in Halewood and Merseyside, Solihull in the West Midlands, and Wolverhampton, as reported by .
This resumption follows JLR's extension of its production halt until at least 1 October, while engineers endeavoured to secure its systems and restore operations.
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Financial impact and supplier strain
The shutdown is estimated to have cost the company around £120m, with the manufacturer typically producing about 1,000 cars a day.
The pause also resulted in significant disruption for suppliers across JLR's extensive supply chain, which employs approximately 100,000 people in addition to the 30,000 who work directly for the firm.
Last week, the government announced a £1.5bn loan guarantee to support the company and provide suppliers with greater certainty over payments, amid escalating concerns that some smaller firms could collapse without assistance.
The loan, provided by a commercial bank, will strengthen JLR's cash reserves as it continues to pay suppliers affected by the shutdown.
Downing Street has labelled the situation as a "concerning time for workers at Jaguar Land Rover and of course, across the supply chain", noting that ministers have been in daily communication with the company since the incident.
Supplies remain in limbo
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Despite signs of progress at JLR, many suppliers express they are still in an unstable position.
Michael Beese, managing director at Walsall-based Genex 海角视频, which manufactures metal components for JLR, revealed his 17-person team had been temporarily laid off without pay during the production halt.
"There was only a finite element of cash available while production was stopped", Beese informed the BBC. "For the staff, it's very concerning, worrying, stressful – and I think I'm sharing those same feelings as well".
He further stated that commercial lending rates had made it challenging to keep the business running, with one loan offer carrying 16 per cent interest and requiring a 100 per cent personal guarantee.
"I've got a good business and a good group of staff with me that are all very capable – I really don't want to lose it", he said, welcoming the government's loan guarantee but questioning how quickly the support would reach small firms.
Beese expressed optimism that the Wolverhampton restart would soon be followed by production at other sites. "We do a myriad of parts across a number of their sites, so any site that opens is fantastic news", he added.