Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) and Ford have announced plans to cut thousands of jobs globally, with at least 2,000 positions affected in the UK. JLR, Britain's largest carmaker, will reduce its global workforce by 4,500, primarily targeting management roles at sites including Coventry and Gaydon. The company will initiate a voluntary redundancy programme.
Ford has also announced widespread cuts across its European operations, though large-scale job losses in the UK are not expected imminently. However, Ford's European president, Steven Armstrong, did not rule out redundancies at its Dagenham and Bridgend engine plants. Both companies cited challenges such as lower demand in China, depressed diesel sales in Europe, and uncertainty surrounding Brexit.
JLR's sales fell by 4.6% in 2018 compared to 2017, with a significant slump in China—sales dropped by over a fifth, and December sales plunged by 42.4% year-on-year. The company has already made £500m in cost savings and cut 1,500 jobs during 2018. JLR also announced investments in electric drive units at Wolverhampton and a new battery plant in Birmingham, set to be operational by 2020.
Ford's Armstrong warned that a no-deal Brexit could result in further job losses in the UK and did not rule out plant closures. JLR's chief executive, Ralf Speth, stated the company is stockpiling parts but can only prepare for 'days, not weeks' of disruption. The shadow business secretary, Rebecca Long-Bailey, called on the government to end Brexit uncertainty, while unions expressed concerns about the impact on the manufacturing sector.
