Factories remain closed
Jaguar Land Rover will keep its UK plants shut until at least Wednesday. The company continues to face disruption from a cyber attack that started over a week ago.
Production has stopped at Halewood, Solihull and Wolverhampton. Sites in Slovakia, China and India are also offline. Assembly line workers have been instructed to stay home.
On 31 August the company shut down its IT systems to protect them from further damage. That move caused widespread operational disruption.
Recovery efforts underway
Jaguar Land Rover says teams are working around the clock to safely restore its networks. Cybersecurity specialists and law enforcement are assisting the process.
Last Thursday the company extended its work-from-home order until at least Tuesday as recovery continued.
The automaker, owned by India’s Tata Motors, has not confirmed reports suggesting the disruption could last weeks.
Supply chain under pressure
Jaguar Land Rover normally produces around 1,000 vehicles daily. The shutdown has placed significant strain on suppliers. Some have already told staff not to report for work.
Dealerships and garages were also affected. Dealers could not register new cars, and garages could not order spare parts. Temporary solutions have since eased some of the disruption.
The timing worsened the impact. Early September marked the release of new licence plates, a busy period for vehicle deliveries.
Suppliers voice concerns
Shaun Adams, managing director of parts supplier Qualplast, warned that a prolonged shutdown would be damaging. He said if the stoppage lasts weeks, his company would need to review its future plans.
Hacker group claims responsibility
A young hacker group has claimed the attack. They previously targeted other UK businesses, including a major retailer.
The group bragged about the breach on Telegram within days. Experts believe they accessed sensitive company data.
Investigators suspect the motive was extortion. Jaguar Land Rover confirmed it is aware of the claims and continues to investigate.
