Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has announced that it is to double the size of its Engine Manufacturing Centre (EMC) as part of a £450m expansion programme. This latest news from the UK's leading manufacturing investor is a clear signal of the company's long-term commitment to Britain.
Total investment in the site, which opened a year ago, now stands at £1bn making it the most significant new automotive manufacturing facility to be built in the UK in the last decade.
The EMC is home to the high technology, low emission Ingenium engine - JLR's first venture into in-house engine manufacturing in a generation. In just twelve months, the Midland based facility has moved from prototype production to full-scale manufacture with more than 50,000 engines coming off the production line.
The Ingenium engine launched initially in the Jaguar XE in April 2015 and was followed quickly by the Discovery Sport, two of the most significant product launches from the British manufacturer accounting for sales of 65,800 in the year so far. Today the EMC has cemented its position as the heart of JLR's UK manufacturing operations supplying all three vehicle plants with engines which also power the Range Rover Evoque, all-new Jaguar XF and soon to be launched ground breaking Jaguar F-Pace.
This latest phase in the development of the EMC will see the site increase its operational footprint to 200,000 square metres, supporting capacity uplift as the company continues on its product offensive to deliver more exciting new products to customers.
Dr Ralf Speth, CEO, JLR, said: "We are proud to be such a significant investor in advanced manufacturing in Britain and are excited by this expansion and the new jobs it will create.
"The Engine Manufacturing Centre is a strategically significant facility for Jaguar Land Rover. The decision to expand our operations at the site provides a clear signal of our commitment to meeting customer demand for cleaner and more efficient engines, whilst developing the skills and capability that Britain needs if it is to remain globally competitive."
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