Factories remain closed
Jaguar Land Rover will keep its UK plants closed until at least Wednesday. The company continues to struggle with disruption from a cyber attack that began more than a week ago.
Production is halted at Halewood, Solihull and Wolverhampton. Facilities in Slovakia, China and India are also offline. Assembly line workers have been told to stay home.
On 31 August the company shut down its IT systems to prevent further damage. That action caused widespread operational disruption.
Recovery efforts ongoing
Jaguar Land Rover says teams are working around the clock to safely restore its networks. Cybersecurity specialists and law enforcement are assisting.
Last Thursday staff were instructed to remain home until at least Tuesday while recovery continued.
The automaker, owned by India’s Tata Motors, has not confirmed reports suggesting the shutdown could last several weeks.
Suppliers under pressure
Jaguar Land Rover normally produces about 1,000 vehicles per day. The halt has put significant strain on suppliers. Some have already told employees not to report for work.
Dealerships and garages were also affected. Dealers could not register new cars, and workshops could not order parts. Temporary solutions are now easing some of the disruption.
The timing worsened the situation. Early September saw the release of new licence plates, a peak period for customer deliveries.
Supplier concerns rise
Shaun Adams, managing director of the parts supplier Qualplast, warned that a prolonged shutdown would be damaging. He said if it lasts weeks, his company must reconsider future plans.
Hackers claim responsibility
A young hacker group has claimed the attack. They previously targeted other UK businesses, including a major retailer.
The group boasted about the breach on Telegram within days. Experts believe they accessed sensitive company data.
Investigators suspect extortion was the motive. Jaguar Land Rover confirmed it is aware of the claims and continues to investigate.
