Indian-owned luxury carmaker Jaguar Land Rover announced Tuesday that it will ramp up vehicle production and create 1,000 new jobs at its Halewood car factory in northwestern England.
"Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) today announces the creation of 1,000 new jobs at its Halewood operations manufacturing facility, near Liverpool in the UK," it said in a statement.
"The positions, which will support the ongoing significant demand for the Range Rover Evoque and Land Rover Freelander 2, take the workforce at Halewood to almost 4,500 -- triple the number employed there just three years ago."
India's leading vehicle maker Tata Motors acquired Jaguar and Land Rover from Ford Motor Co. for $2.3 billion in 2008.
"These 1,000 new jobs are further evidence of JLR's clear ambition for continued growth," added JLR human resources director Des Thurlby on Tuesday.
"We are moving Halewood to three shifts and 24-hour operation to meet increased global demand for our products."
He added: "JLR's supply chain is also set to benefit, with thousands more jobs expected to be created."
"Our commitment to expand the Halewood workforce and increase production is great news for JLR, for Merseyside and for the wider UK economy.
The announcement was meanwhile welcomed by Unite, which is Britain's biggest trade union.
"The creation of new jobs at Halewood is more good news for Britain's car industry and the local economy," said Unite official Roger Maddison.
"Again, Britain's car industry is bucking the trend of manufacturing decline. It is proof that with the right investment and support, UK manufacturing can be a success story."
The Confederation of British Industry, which is the country's largest employers' organization, also hailed the jobs boost.
"The news that Jaguar Land Rover will be creating a further 1000 jobs at its Halewood plant is a shot in the arm for UK manufacturing and the automotive industry in particular," added CBI deputy director-general Neil Bentley.
"This is further evidence of re-balancing across the economy, with the latest UK trade figures showing record levels of exports going to countries outside the European Union, such as the U.S. and China."
The news comes one week after Japanese auto giant Nissan announced it would build its new hatchback compact car in Britain, in a £125-million investment that will create 2,000 jobs.
The new vehicle, called "Invitation," will be built at Nissan's Sunderland plant in northeastern England from mid-2013.
The Sunderland plant produced more than 480,000 cars last year, a record high for a British plant, as the group was boosted by strong demand for its Qashqai, Juke and Note car models, many of which are sold outside of Britain.
Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2012
See Also:
• "Nissan's Plan to Build New Hatchback in Britain Called 'Ray of Sunshine' for Economy"
• "Jaguar Land Rover to Create Over 1,000 Jobs in Britain"
• "Tata Motors Profit Up 41%"
