JLR could face disruption until November after hack

Following a significant cyber attack, Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has told suppliers that production will not resumed at its factories until September 24th, the first time, but industry sources have warned that disruption could persist into November. JLR was forced to shut down ITs IT networks and suspend production due to the hack, which occurred more than two weeks ago. A criminal investigation is under way. JLR has denied reports that the operational consequences of the attack may persist for weeks or months as "speculation. However, fears of the consequences of the shutdown on the company's extensive supply chain are mounting, despite claims that certain businesses may face bankruptcy without prompt financial assistance.

According to reports, the plant is costing the company at least £50 million a week in missed production. More than 1,000 cars per day is expected by JLR. Tata Motors, India's Tata Automobiles, owns the company, which also has a Wolverhampton engine plant. In addition, it has large factories in Slovakia and China, as well as a smaller one in India. However, all of the production lines have been frozen since the hack first came to light on September 1st. JLR's most recent postponement:

We've taken this action as our official probe into the cyber attack continues and we'll have to consider the various facets of our global operations, which will take time.

JLR was initially optimistic that the issue would be sorted quickly. However, it has since been made clear that restarting production is not a straightforward process. As a result of the cyberattack, the company has reported that certain personal information may have been seen or stolen by third parties. Three and a half weeks of production will have been lost by September 24th. And if the production lines have been restored, industry insiders estimate that returning to normal output is likely to take several weeks. There is growing concern among suppliers, many of whom are small and medium-sized enterprises. Many have told the BBC that they simply do not have the financial resources to cope with an extended shutdown, and that bankruptcies are likely, even though no such assistance is provided.

Jason Richards, a West Midlands regional officer, told the BBC. People must pay rent, they must pay mortgages, and if they are not getting any compensation, what are they supposed to do?

I can't emphasize it enough because] if they turn the tap on and they're hoping the supply chain to be waiting on the subs bench, they won't be there,

'Lasting damage'

Analysts estimate that there is a danger to the country's engineering base, which employs hundreds of thousands of people. A unit has called for a furlough scheme to be established, which would use federal funds to pay the salaries of people in the field who are unable to work due to the shutdown. The Commons Business and Trade Committee has also asked the chancellor what plans she has to assist marginalized companies in the supply chain. According to reports, JLR is currently in talks with some manufacturers about prospective assistance. Although a number of suppliers have expressed worry about JLR's lack of details, one leading contractor has defended the firm. We should not forget who is to blame here, Evtec Group Chair David Roberts said.

All of this is criminal. JLR is the victim here. We should remember who started this, but it wasn't JLR.