NAA Event Review: JLR Halewood
Our October networking event saw us visit JLR’s Halewood manufacturing plant, where we were hosted by James Brindley, Head of Finance.
Attendees were given an overview of JLR’s global operations, followed by an overview of the Halewood manufacturing plant and its fit with JLR overall.
Construction of the plant began in 1960, with the first car, a Ford Anglia, produced in 1963. The plant re-purposed in 2000, for Jaguar X-type production, followed by Freelander 2, through to today’s Evoque and Discovery Sport products.
Halewood is located on a 3,000-acre site and employs circa 2,800 people, and has “coil to car” capability, with a large press-shop and full body-in-white facility as well as trim and final operations. Installed capacity is circa 205,000 units per annum on 3-shift working, with product being exported to over 140 countries.
Attendees were given an overview of current and future activities, including the radical transformation of the 61-year old factory in preparation for electric vehicle production. Over £250 million has been invested in new production lines, machinery, people and digital technology; with a further £250 million to be injected over the coming years.
The transformational works will enable the parallel production of internal combustion, hybrid and pure electric vehicles, and the ongoing revamp is focused on renewables; with fuel switching and energy reduction enabling the removal of 40,000 tonnes of CO2e from Halewood`s industrial footprint. This investment reaffirms JLR’s commitment to its Reimagine strategy, which will reposition the company as an electric first, modern luxury carmaker by 2030.
Attendees were given a tour of the working facility, including the press-shop and body-in-white areas.
Interesting fact – the press-shop produces 80% of JLR’s global pressings and annually consumes circa 8,000 coils of steel sheet; each coil 2,000 metres long, which if uncoiled end-on-end would stretch for 16,000 kilometres or 10,000 miles, which is almost half-way around the world.
