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19 September 2011
Last updated at 04:22 ET
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is to create up to 750 jobs at a new factory on a site near Wolverhampton, the firm says.
The luxury carmaker, owned by Indian firm Tata, is investing £355m to build low-emission engines on a 120-hectare site at a business park near the M54.
The news has been welcomed by the government and unions, who fought planned cuts at the firm two years ago.
JLR chief executive Dr Ralf Speth said it was "truly exciting news" and "a major commitment for our company".
He added: "We expect the engine manufacturing facility to create up to 750 highly-skilled engineering and manufacturing posts at Jaguar Land Rover, along with hundreds more highly-skilled manufacturing jobs in the supply chain and the wider UK economy.
"As we invest £1.5 billion a year for the next five years in new product developments, expanding our engine range will help us realise the full global potential of both our Jaguar and Land Rover brands."
'Strong support' Dr Speth said the new four-cylinder engines would increase JLR's capability to offer high-performance engines while ensuring continued significant reductions in vehicle emissions.
He paid tribute to the "strong support" from the government, trade unions, local MPs, local authorities and the company's own employees.
Work at the site, which is partly in Staffordshire and was confirmed as a new enterpise zone in July, is due to start early next year.
JLR's engines are currently supplied by Ford from plants including Bridgend and Dagenham in the UK.
Last year JLR said it was reversing a decision to close one of its two West Midlands factories.
'Difficult times' The group's headquarters is in Gaydon, Warwickshire, with Land Rovers produced in Solihull and Halewood, Merseyside and Jaguar models produced at Castle Bromwich, near Birmingham.
Last week, JLR unveiled three new concept cars at the Frankfurt Motor Show on the back of a period of strong sales fuelled, partly, by a growing number of orders from foreign markets, including China and India.
General secretary of the Unite union Len McCluskey said it was "excellent news for manufacturing at these difficult times".
He added: "Local and central governments past and present have had a hand in this good news, and that is to be commended."
Speaking earlier on Monday, Bob Nason, the Unite union plant convenor at the Solihull Land Rover plant, said it was "a far cry from where we were two years ago".
"I think it's testament not only to the current workforce in the sacrifices they've made during those two years, but also I think testament to Tata's commitment to fulfilling a promise to create thousands of new jobs here in the UK."
The company reported pre-tax profits of £1.1bn in the year to 31 March, up from £14.6m the previous year. Revenues increased 51% to £9.9bn.
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The luxury carmaker, owned by Indian firm Tata, is investing £355m to build low-emission engines on a 120-hectare site at a business park near the M54.
The news has been welcomed by the government and unions, who fought planned cuts at the firm two years ago.
JLR chief executive Dr Ralf Speth said it was "truly exciting news" and "a major commitment for our company".
He added: "We expect the engine manufacturing facility to create up to 750 highly-skilled engineering and manufacturing posts at Jaguar Land Rover, along with hundreds more highly-skilled manufacturing jobs in the supply chain and the wider UK economy.
"As we invest £1.5 billion a year for the next five years in new product developments, expanding our engine range will help us realise the full global potential of both our Jaguar and Land Rover brands."
'Strong support' Dr Speth said the new four-cylinder engines would increase JLR's capability to offer high-performance engines while ensuring continued significant reductions in vehicle emissions.
He paid tribute to the "strong support" from the government, trade unions, local MPs, local authorities and the company's own employees.
Work at the site, which is partly in Staffordshire and was confirmed as a new enterpise zone in July, is due to start early next year.
JLR's engines are currently supplied by Ford from plants including Bridgend and Dagenham in the UK.
Last year JLR said it was reversing a decision to close one of its two West Midlands factories.
'Difficult times' The group's headquarters is in Gaydon, Warwickshire, with Land Rovers produced in Solihull and Halewood, Merseyside and Jaguar models produced at Castle Bromwich, near Birmingham.
Last week, JLR unveiled three new concept cars at the Frankfurt Motor Show on the back of a period of strong sales fuelled, partly, by a growing number of orders from foreign markets, including China and India.
General secretary of the Unite union Len McCluskey said it was "excellent news for manufacturing at these difficult times".
He added: "Local and central governments past and present have had a hand in this good news, and that is to be commended."
Speaking earlier on Monday, Bob Nason, the Unite union plant convenor at the Solihull Land Rover plant, said it was "a far cry from where we were two years ago".
"I think it's testament not only to the current workforce in the sacrifices they've made during those two years, but also I think testament to Tata's commitment to fulfilling a promise to create thousands of new jobs here in the UK."
The company reported pre-tax profits of £1.1bn in the year to 31 March, up from £14.6m the previous year. Revenues increased 51% to £9.9bn.
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