Bad news again for the UK (foreign owned) motor industry.
Either Solihull or Castle Bromwich is to close in a couple of years time.
As an ex JLR employee, I have a biased view here, but is this another tragedy in terms of a reduction in manufacturing, or a natural reduction in capacity of generally fuel hungry vehicles.
Discuss .................
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I used to work next to the Castle Bromwich factory until last year. There was a definite sense of something special when walking past the factory, seeing the brand new Jags lined up out back, or driven round the block, before being loaded up ready to be sent to the USA (as most seemed LHD and featured a proper leaping cat on the bonnet).
I will be saddened if they shut it down. I live near Longbridge too, and saw the decline, collapse and recent bulldozing of that site. It doesn't seem right at all.
But if a factory can't make money, what else is there to do?
I just hope that the site of either factory that ends up closing spawns new industries for the future, and many new jobs.
Edited by TheOilBurner on 24/09/2009 at 14:16
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is there any danger of the xf and new xj being discontinued so early in their lifes?
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No, they won't do this for at least another 4-5 years. And even then, existing production will be moved to one or both of the other remaining two factories.
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had a look around the new xj last week and i was very impressed.
looks like a winner.
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As an ex-Halewood worker (very long time ago), there's better news than might have been expected there, especially with the demise of the X-Type.
I like the XF and will seriously look at it when the time comes to change my Merc. I wouldn't dream of buying outright one - that's just way too risky for something which could well disappear in the not too distant future. I'll look at the PCP or personal leasing rates.
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Also another ex JLR employee here and the announcement has been on the cards for a long time. Even when they announced they were shutting Browns Lane there was a feeling that Solihull could go.
Halewood will be the new LR assembly plant and flogging Solihull for the second runway at Birmingham or for prime real estate is my bet. Lode lane must be worth a couple of billion.
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flogging Solihull for the second runwayat Birmingham or for prime real estate is my bet.
Agreed, i thought that was the jewel in the crown for Tata, they must be laughing all the way to the bank.
Wouldn't be surprised to see the A45 made into an underpass the whole length of the airfield.
As you say the land is prime for development as additional 'executive' housing etc at the Southern end of the site, it's already surrounded by the like...where everybody who's supposed to buy is going to work i wouldn't like to say..;)
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I appreciate it is bad news for the West Mids, but this announcement is good for Merseyside, with 800 jobs to be created at Halewood.
Despite the image of the workshy scouser, isn't it odd the the only remaining car plants created by govenment grants in the 60s/70s are on Merseyside? Ok, the Triumph plant at Speke was hardly a rip-roaring success, but both Halewood and Ellesmere Port are up there with the best in the UK in terms of efficiency and quality.
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I don't know that it's a bad thing necessarily, much of it appears to be relocation of production from older facilities to an underutilised (and probably more subsidised) factory elsewhere in the country. If I were JLR I'd be looking at the age distribution of my workforce and the adaptability of each site to my future products. Solihull looks like a site with much better value for sales, but could CB and Halewood adapt to making the models Solihull produces?
Either way the number of vehicles won't be changing except with customer demand, which as you suggest may well be lower than in times past until the products catch up with current trends a little more than they are at present. I suspect JLR won't worry so much about that though as they appear to be aiming more for the niche than the mainstream to a great extent. Many motoring mags have complained there is no 4 cylinder XF, well that's a good thing as it retains the exclusivity and hence desirability of the vehicle.
Manufacturing in the UK is tending between static and growth really, at least in the premium and high tech markets - my own company (well known aerospace manufacturer that everyone associates with quality) announced £300m investment in four new UK plants this year. That's not the kind of investment you make in a flagging market. Of the people who work for me, some of my young apprentices are shaping into some of the most enthused and dynamic employees we have, a tribute to the young people going into engineering today.
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