Some employees at Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) returned to work on Monday as the company aims to resume limited car production following a cyber-attack that occurred on August 31. The factory in Wolverhampton, which manufactures engines, is expected to be the first to restart operations, with some workers already back on-site.
JLR has informed suppliers that it may initiate limited production at its factories in Nitra, Slovakia, and Solihull, West Midlands, as early as this week. The Nitra facility produces the Land Rover Defender, while Solihull is JLR’s largest site, responsible for manufacturing the Range Rover.
The cyber-attack, which disrupted key systems impacting vehicle design, parts supply, and manufacturing, necessitated significant IT recovery efforts. Initial vehicle production will focus on ensuring the functionality of the restored systems. Full-scale manufacturing could take several weeks, and plans may change depending on the complexity of the recovery process. The Halewood plant in Merseyside may take longer to come back online than other sites.
Last week, the UK government announced plans to support JLR and its supply chain by guaranteeing £1.5 billion in private sector loans to the company, which is the largest automotive employer in Britain. However, it is reported that no formal agreements had been established as of the latest updates. To alleviate cash flow challenges for suppliers, JLR intends to expedite payments.
The Confederation of British Metalforming, which represents many JLR suppliers, has emphasized the importance of ensuring that smaller companies in the supply chain receive the necessary funds, as many have struggled to access emergency financial support.
JLR has refrained from commenting on the timeline for restarting production but stated that it is working closely with cybersecurity experts, the UK government’s National Cyber Security Centre, and law enforcement to facilitate a safe and secure manufacturing restart.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/oct/06/jaguar-land-rover-restart-production-cyberattack