Ground has been broken on what will be a vast logistics operations centre in Solihull, UK, which will supply Jaguar Land Rover group with automotive parts.
IAC Helewood
IAC Helewood UK assembly line. Photo: IAC Group
Planning permission for the 91,800 square metre facility was granted in 2017. The site is being leased JLR’s supplier International Automotive Components (IAC) as part of an 11 year deal.
IAC will use the facility for production, assembly and sequencing, as well as to house departments including IT, engineering and finance. The company supplies components and interior trim to JLR vehicles, built at the nearby Lode Lane plant.
It has been reported that when the project is completed in 2021, the on-site warehouses will cover an area equivalent to 13 football pitches.
JLR has described the new facility as being “critical to the long-term future of our UK manufacturing operations” and has said the centre will bring improved efficiency and road conditions for residents.
“[The project] delivers a range of operational and environmental benefits, including one million less HGV miles on Midlands roads, equating to a reduction of 1,300 tonnes of CO2 every year,” the company said in a recent bulletin.
IAC say the facility will create 400 new jobs, and endorse both the local West Midlands region, as well as the UK, which is still suffering from continued uncertainty over Brexit.
Manfred Gingl, IAC Group’s CEO, said, “We are a customer-centric company, which is why it was an easy decision for us to expand our operations near our customer’s production sites. IAC views the UK as a strategic market, and we look forward to continuing our partnership with JLR long into the future.”
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