Jaguar Land Rover announces new manufacturing plant in Brazil
December 16, 2013
Jaguar Land Rover has announced plans to open a new R$750m (£200m) manufacturing facility in the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Construction at the site will begin in mid-2014 with vehicle production said to start in 2016.
The new plant will have a capacity to build 24,000 vehicles annually and will play an important role in supporting the significant growth opportunity identified by the company in Brazil and across other South American markets.
Dr Ralf Speth, CEO of Jaguar Land Rover, stated, “Brazil and the surrounding regions are very important. Customers there have an increasing appetite for highly capable premium products. This new programme will enable us to bring exciting new vehicles to them, with outstanding British design and engineering, creating a world-class Jaguar Land Rover facility incorporating leading premium manufacturing technologies. We have established excellent working relationships with the State of Rio de Janeiro, the City of Itatiaia & the Rio de Janeiro State Industrial Development Company and we look forward to attracting new customers to our business in this important market.”
Initially the plant will employ around 400 people. This number is expected to almost double by the end of the decade. This new manufacturing facility will also create additional jobs across the local supply chain network.
Following a detailed feasibility study, Jaguar Land Rover selected the City of Itatiaia, close to the heart of the emerging Regional Automotive Zone, due to its excellent logistics links, access to the local supplier base and skilled workforce.
Sergio Cabral, Governor of Rio de Janeiro State stated, “The choice of Rio de Janeiro to host the Jaguar Land Rover’s new facility is another historic achievement for our state. We offer perfect conditions to JLR to install its plant in Brazil, as we have an automotive hub in the South Fluminense region that concentrates qualified labour and important suppliers.”
