Shutdown extended in UK and abroad
Jaguar Land Rover will keep its UK factories closed until at least Wednesday. The company is still grappling with the aftermath of a cyber attack that struck more than a week ago.
Production at Halewood, Solihull and Wolverhampton remains suspended. Sites in Slovakia, China and India also remain offline. Staff on the production lines have been told to stay home.
The company shut down its IT systems on 31 August to protect them from damage. The move caused heavy disruption.
Efforts to restart systems
Jaguar Land Rover says it is working continuously to restore its networks in a controlled way. Cybersecurity specialists and law enforcement are supporting the process.
Last Thursday the carmaker instructed employees to stay at home until at least Tuesday while recovery efforts continued.
The firm, owned by India’s Tata Motors, has not commented on claims that the disruption could stretch on for weeks.
Ripple effects across supply chain
Under normal conditions Jaguar Land Rover builds about 1,000 cars a day. The shutdown has severely hit suppliers. Some have reportedly told their own staff not to report to work.
The attack also disrupted wider operations. Dealers were unable to register new vehicles, and garages could not order spare parts. Some temporary solutions are now in place.
The timing added to the impact. New licence plates were released at the start of September, a moment when many customers collect cars.
Supplier concerns mount
Shaun Adams, who runs the parts supplier Qualplast, warned that a longer shutdown could create major difficulties. He said a stoppage lasting weeks would force the company to reconsider its plans.
Hackers claim responsibility
A young hacker group, already linked to attacks on other British companies, has claimed responsibility for the breach. One of their earlier targets was a major retailer.
The group boasted on Telegram just days after the attack. Security experts believe the hackers accessed sensitive company data.
Investigators suspect the group attempted to extort money. Jaguar Land Rover confirmed it is aware of the claims and continues to investigate.
