Summit Post
David Roberts is not in an optimistic mood. The chair of Coventry-based Evtec, a supplier to Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), warns that 'everything is against us' as the carmaker announces 4,000 job cuts over two years. This follows a cyber-attack that disrupted production, costing £200m, and comes amid intense competition from Chinese manufacturers and tariff wars.
Roberts predicts automotive demand will 'contract inexorably over the next five years' without government support and policy changes. JLR’s £1.7bn cost-cutting plan targets white-collar roles, leaving suppliers like Evtec—specializing in high-pressure aluminium die casting—concerned about the broader industry decline. The company, with 12,000–14,000 employees, represents £2bn in revenue and is a critical supplier to JLR, which employs around 140,000–180,000 people in the West Midlands alone.
Corin Crane, CEO of the Chamber of Commerce in Coventry and Warwickshire, highlights JLR’s economic impact, contributing £8.7bn to the region’s 2024 economy. The cyber-attack paused production for four weeks, costing £200m, and JLR’s profit dropped to £14m from £2.5bn the year before. Industry experts, including Steve Morley of the Confederation of British Metalforming, blame UK policies—such as high labor and energy costs and stringent EV transition targets—for the sector’s struggles.
Morley criticizes the government’s refusal to ease EV sales bans, arguing it stifles competitiveness. Meanwhile, a Birmingham-based supplier warns of transparency gaps and potential job losses if JLR’s challenges persist. The UK government has ruled out state support for JLR’s redundancies, prompting calls for policy reforms to sustain the automotive industry.
Source: The Guardian
