JLR restarts manufacturing in phases after cyber-attack

Jaguar Land Rover has launched a phased restart of its manufacturing operations more than a month after being hit by a crippling cyber-attack as it revealed its sales had dropped sharply in a "challenging quarter".

- Julia Kollewe

The maker of Jaguar and Land Rover cars has been scrambling to get its systems up and running again after the hack on the last day of August forced it to shut down factories and retail operations around the world.

JLR also announced a financing scheme to provide its suppliers with cash upfront during the restart period. This means those that qualify will be paid much faster than usual, it said. The scheme will then be expanded to include some non-production suppliers.

The carmaker said the phased restart would begin today at its sites across the West Midlands, including at its engine-making factory in Wolverhampton and its electric vehicle battery assembly centre in Hams Hall near Birmingham.

Work will also recommence at its stamping operations in Castle Bromwich, Halewood and Solihull, and other important areas of its Solihull factory, such as its body shop, paint shop and its logistics centre.