Jaguar Land Rover to resume some production in 'coming days' after cyber-attack

Jaguar Land Rover has announced that some production will be reinstated in the coming days after the car manufacturer was forced to suspend operations due to a cyberattack. Operations at the West Midlands and Merseyside plants were suspended on September 1st following a cyberattack the night before. According to the BBC, manufacturing production at the engine plant in Wolverhampton will resume on October 6th, and other plants will see a sporadic return. According to industry estimates, it is likely to take many weeks before the production lines are operating at maximum capacity.

In a letter sent to JLR workers on Monday, the company said the foundational work of our recovery programme is firmly underway, and that the company's phased return is to ensure that IT networks are returned in a safe and secure manner. The company had previously said that it did not expect production to resume at its plants until October 1st, which was the company's earliest estimate. Following the shutdown, a JLR spokesperson announced that it was still in the recovery process.

We continue to work around the clock alongside cybersecurity specialists, the UK government's National Cyber Security Centre, and law enforcement to ensure that our recovery is carried out in a safe and secure manner, they said.

Phased Restart

The news has been welcomed by businesses in JLR's supply chain, which has been placed under significant financial strain as a result of the shutdown. Many smaller businesses, in particular, were thought to be at risk of bankruptcy. Around 30,000 people are directly employed at the company's UK plants in Solihull, Wolverhampton, and Halewood, with another 100,000 employed by supply chain businesses. Some of these companies export only to JLR, while others sell parts to other car manufacturers as well. According to one supplier, the news of the restart was welcome and would provide some relief to companies that depend on JLR's orders, but financial assistance was still desperately needed. The supplier warned that struggling businesses could not afford to take on more debt.

Over the weekend, the government announced that it would pledge £11 million to JLR's £5 billion loan, with the explicit requirement that the supply chain be funded. Chancellor Rachel Reeves said the loan would provide certainty and support for the jobs in the company and its supply chain during the Labour Party conference in Liverpool. Sources within JLR have confirmed that the funds will be used to help suppliers with whom it has a direct relationship, to improve cashflow, and help with parts orders. It will be up to those companies to pay their own suppliers.

The JLR spokesperson said the company thanked everyone connected to the company for their continued patience, understanding, and assistance.

We know there's more to do, but the foundational work of our recovery is firmly underway, and we'll continue to provide updates as we progress.

JLR's announcement was welcomed by Downing Street, which added that it had been an uncomfortable time for Jaguar Land Rover workers and, of course, throughout the supply chain.

JLR is one of many UK businesses that have been affected by a string of cyberattacks this year. This week, hackers attacked luxury department store Harrods after sensitive information relating to 430,000 customer records was stolen in an IT hack. Earlier this year, the breach was distinct from attempts to hack into separate Harrods networks. Hackers who claimed responsibility for the attempt have also claimed responsibility for hacks against M&S and Co-op, which have cost the companies hundreds of millions of pounds in missed sales.