Jaguar Land Rover have just opened its new £240 million manufacturing facility and Education Business Partnership Centre in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The plant inauguration represents the first time a UK automotive group has opened a production centre in Latin America.
Jaguar Land Rover’s new factory in Itatiaia is also the company’s first wholly-owned overseas facility and marks a further phase in its global expansion strategy following the opening of its Chinese joint venture factory in 2014. The creation of new international factories allows Jaguar Land Rover to offer its customers even more exciting new models, protect against currency fluctuations and create a globally competitive business.
The new facility will build both the Range Rover Evoque and Land Rover Discovery Sport for Brazilian customers. Vehicles will be on sale in dealers across Brazil this month.
At the plant inauguration, Wolfgang Stadler, Executive Director, Manufacturing, said: “The opening of Jaguar Land Rover’s new world-class facility in Brazil marks the latest exciting milestone in our global expansion.”
“Land Rover is already Brazil’s market-leader for mid-sized premium SUVs, accounting for more than 30% of all sales in that segment. The Range Rover Evoque and the Land Rover Discovery Sport will now be manufactured for the first time in Latin America, building on their existing popularity with customers in Brazil.”
The plant includes Jaguar Land Rover’s first overseas Education Business Partnership Centre which will provide a range of classroom activities for up to 12,000 local children each year. These will help them to develop key skills, work awareness and inspire them to pursue rewarding careers at Jaguar Land Rover.
Manufacturing in Brazil
The factory includes a series of environmental features, such as rainwater collection and the planting of more than 1,200 indigenous trees to help preserve and improve the natural habitat around the factory. Jaguar Land Rover is aiming to achieve the globally recognised LEED Gold sustainability accreditation – the first automotive vehicle assembly plant in Brazil to do so.
The plant includes cutting-edge manufacturing technologies and has the most advanced Emissions Conformity and Certification facility in South America.
As part of its on-going commitment to the Brazilian automotive industry, Jaguar Land Rover has sourced major components such as the seats, cockpit, exhaust, chassis and powertrain assembly from local suppliers.
