Halewood in Merseyside is being transformed into a “factory of the future” by JLR.
The 61-year-old factory has already received £250m in new production lines, machinery, people and digital technology, with a further £250m set to be invested in the coming years.
It’s a long-way from its beginnings as the home of the Ford Anglia.
Now, the site will be fitted with 750 autonomous robots, ADAS calibration rigs, laser alignment technology and cloud-based digital plant management systems to oversee production.
The move is part of the company’s ongoing “Reimagine Strategy” which was launched in 2021 to electrify all its brands by 2030 and become carbon net zero across its entire supply chain, products and operations by 2039.
“Halewood has been the heart and soul of JLR in the Northwest of England for well over two decades, producing vehicles such as the Range Rover Evoque and Discovery Sport,” said Barbara Bergmeier, Executive Director, Industrial Operations.
“Halewood will be our first all‑electric production facility, and it is a testament to the brilliant efforts by our teams and suppliers who have worked together to equip the plant with the technology needed to deliver our world class luxury electric vehicles.”
The net zero plans include installing 18,000 photovoltaic panels, producing 8,600 GWh of energy equating to 10% of the site’s energy consumption.
Through a mix of renewables, fuel switching and energy efficiency products, JLR is aiming to remove 40,000 tonnes of CO2e from Halewood’s industrial footprint.