Jaguar Land Rover to resume production after 6-week cyberattack shutdown

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) announced on Tuesday that it will resume manufacturing operations from Wednesday, following an almost six-week production halt caused by a major cyberattack. The shutdown, described as one of the most disruptive hacks in the UK this year, severely impacted both the company and its network of suppliers.

To support smaller parts suppliers pushed to the brink after weeks without business, JLR said it would offer up-front payments for components during the restart phase. Previously, suppliers were paid 60 days after invoicing, a delay that risked pushing many smaller businesses into financial distress.

The company, owned by Tata Motors, operates three factories in Britain that together produce about 1,000 cars daily. Economists had warned that a prolonged shutdown could affect the UK’s manufacturing output, given the sector’s dependence on the auto industry.

“This is very welcome news for workers and suppliers, but I know many are still under pressure, particularly further down the supply chain," Peter Kyle, UK Business Minister, averred.

Heavy losses and Government backing

Analysts estimated that JLR lost around £50 million per week during the shutdown. To mitigate the impact, the British government extended a £1.5 billion loan guarantee in late September, primarily to help the carmaker support its suppliers.

Business Minister Peter Kyle said the government remained focused on helping JLR restore operations and safeguard the wider auto supply chain, which supports over 180,000 manufacturing jobs.

Phased restart and operational impact

JLR confirmed that engine and battery units, along with body and paint shops, will resume operations on Wednesday, allowing part of its 33,000-strong workforce to return to duty.

Production lines for the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport at the Solihull plant are scheduled to restart later this week, signalling a gradual recovery of full-scale operations.

In its latest quarterly report, JLR said that for the period ending September 30:

• Wholesale volumes dropped 24.2 per cent
• Retail sales declined 17.1 per cent

The company attributed the fall to the production stoppage, the planned wind-down of older Jaguar models, and the impact of U.S. tariffs.

“It has been a challenging quarter for JLR," said Adrian Mardell, JLR CEO

Rising threat of cyberattacks

The JLR incident is the latest in a series of high-profile cyberattacks to hit major UK businesses this year. Earlier, Marks & Spencer reportedly lost £300 million after shutting down its online operations for two months due to a breach. Similarly, a ransomware attack last month disrupted check-in systems at multiple European airports, leaving passengers stranded.

These incidents underscore the growing vulnerability of global industries to cybercrime, as hackers employ increasingly sophisticated methods to target critical infrastructure and large corporations.

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