The news that Jaguar Land Rover is to create a further 1,700 jobs in Solihull is testament to the hard work, skill and perseverance of the workers and management at the plant off Lode Lane. Many of us will remember back to 2008, in the depths of the recession, the workforce was shrinking along with the order books. Those were dark days. But what we have seen since is one of the biggest turnarounds in not just West Midlands but British business history. Jaguar Land Rover produces vehicles which thrill the motoring world and are wanted in the emerging economies of India and China. What's more, unlike some other manufacturers, Jaguar Land Rover is keeping its manufacturing base firmly in the UK.
Julian Knight said "This is another sign of course of the recovery in the UK economy, achieved without listening to the siren calls of those who wanted the government to borrow and spend more than was prudent. However, ultimately, politicians should not try and take credit for the growth of Jaguar Land Rover it is down to hard work, enterprise and great design. We should all cherish Jaguar Land Rover and the new jobs it is bringing to Solihull."Caroline Spelman said “I am delighted that an extra 1700 jobs are to be created at JLR’s factories in Solihull and applaud the company for its success and the most welcome investment of £1.5 bn. JLR has led the way on Britain’s export-led recovery with a workforce determined to maintain the strong tradition of motor manufacturing in the Midlands. In the last decade JLR has created 6000 new jobs and the knock-on effect of this has created an extra 24,000 jobs among companies who supply JLR. For our region this has been a flagship and a beacon of hope for young people looking to acquire skills for life and a bright future. It shows how important skills-training is for people entering the job market and we need a concerted effort locally to train up enough people to make the most of these expansion plans.”