Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) plans to restart some production in the coming week after a cyber-attack forced the company to close its plants and send employees home. The first facility to resume operations will be JLR’s engine factory in Wolverhampton, though it may take several weeks for all sites to return to full capacity. Since late August, manufacturing at JLR’s three UK locations in the West Midlands and Merseyside has been suspended due to the attack, which paralyzed the company’s IT systems and halted vehicle production and parts distribution.
The consequences of the shutdown have been serious for JLR’s suppliers, many of whom are small businesses under significant financial stress. JLR is currently investigating the cyber-incident, which is estimated to be costing the company around £50 million weekly in lost production. A group named Scattered Lapsus$ Hunters has reportedly claimed responsibility for the attack.
Approximately 30,000 employees work directly at JLR plants, with over 200,000 connected to the supply chain. For example, Evtec Group, a tier one supplier providing parts to JLR, has also faced disruptions, with its Coventry and Kidderminster plants at a standstill. Evtec employs 1,250 people in the West Midlands and has been forced to send staff home with reduced pay during this period.
While operations are set to gradually resume, workers express concern about the future. Engineer Ben Brindley noted the uncertainty surrounding job security, especially as the restart process can be complex and time-consuming.
Experts acknowledge that while JLR’s recovery efforts are underway, the long-term impacts of the cyber-attack remain uncertain. While the government has committed to backing loans for JLR’s suppliers, some industry representatives have criticized this support as inadequate, urging further assistance for labor costs and tax relief to help businesses recover from the shutdown. The government has stated it is in regular contact with JLR to address ongoing concerns.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckge0ex5g27o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss