JLR could face disruption until November after hack

Jaguar Land Rover Cyberattack Halts Production, Raising Fears Across Supply Chain

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has told suppliers that vehicle production at its factories will not resume until September 24th, following a major cyberattack that forced the company to shut down its IT networks earlier this month. Industry insiders warn, however, that disruption could drag on well into November.

The attack, which came to light on September 1st, has forced JLR to suspend operations across its global manufacturing sites, including its Wolverhampton engine plant, large facilities in Slovakia and China, and a smaller plant in India. Tata Motors, part of India’s Tata Group, owns JLR.

While the company has denied reports that production delays could stretch for months, analysts and suppliers fear the financial and operational fallout will be severe. The shutdown is estimated to be costing JLR at least £50 million a week, with more than 1,000 cars a day lost in production. By the time operations are expected to resume, three and a half weeks of output will have been wiped out.

“We’ve taken this action as our official probe into the cyberattack continues, and we need to consider the various facets of our global operations, which will take time. We are extremely sorry for the continuing chaos this incident has caused, and we will continue to update as the investigation progresses,” JLR said in a statement.

The company also confirmed that some personal information may have been accessed by third parties, raising further concerns among staff and partners.

Ripple Effects on Suppliers

For many small and medium-sized enterprises in JLR’s supply chain, the pause is already proving critical. Several suppliers have told the BBC they lack the financial resources to withstand weeks of lost business, warning of possible bankruptcies without urgent financial assistance.

Jason Richards, a regional officer in the West Midlands, voiced concern over the human toll:

“We’re already seeing employers discussing redundancies. People still have rent and mortgages to pay. If they’re not getting any compensation, what are they supposed to do? We need to have a supply chain ready for Jaguar Land Rover. If they turn the tap back on, expecting the supply chain to be waiting, it won’t be there.”

Call for Government Support

Analysts warn the disruption could cause lasting damage to the UK’s engineering and automotive base, which supports hundreds of thousands of jobs. Some unions have urged the government to introduce a furlough-style scheme to cover wages for workers sidelined by the shutdown. The Commons Business and Trade Committee has asked the chancellor to clarify what measures, if any, will be made available to protect vulnerable suppliers.

JLR is reportedly in discussions with some manufacturers about financial aid, though suppliers have criticised the lack of clear detail so far.

Criminal Responsibility

Despite the disruption, industry leaders stress that JLR itself is a victim.

“We should not forget who is to blame here. JLR is the victim. We should remember who started this—it wasn’t JLR,” said David Roberts, Chair of the Evtec Group.

A criminal investigation is under way. Responsibility for the attack has been claimed by Scattered Lapsus$ Hunters, a group previously linked to high-profile cyberattacks on Marks & Spencer, Co-op, and other major retailers earlier this year.