Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is spending serious money to make its paint shop ‘greener’.
JLR has announced a major £65 million investment to expand its special paint facilities globally, responding to surging demand for personalized luxury vehicles while reducing its environmental footprint.
Growing Demand for Personalization
The UK’s largest luxury car manufacturer has witnessed demand for personalized color options more than double since FY22 across its Range Rover and Range Rover Sport models. Clients can select from hundreds of Bespoke Paint and elevated palette options, with Range Rover SV model demand doubling in the current financial year.
Strategic Facility Expansion
JLR will establish new paint facilities in:
- Castle Bromwich, West Midlands (£41 million investment)
- Nitra, Slovakia (£10 million investment)
These expansions will support over 17,000 additional client orders annually and extend exclusive paint options across the brand portfolio.
Technological Advancements and Sustainability
The new facilities incorporate cutting-edge technology:
- State-of-the-art application booths with automated spray robots
- 30% reduction in paint waste compared to manual methods
- Enhanced energy efficiency and water conservation
- Electric curing ovens in Nitra facility, preventing 500 tonnes of CO2e annually
- Smart Oven control system with automatic shutdown capabilities
- Heat exchanger installation saving 2,250 tonnes of CO2e yearly
Economic Impact and Luxury Market Position
The investment strengthens JLR’s position in the ultra-luxury segment:
- SV Bespoke Paint matching service allows clients to match any desired color
- Average SV Bespoke commission adds £70,000 to vehicle cost
- Base Range Rover SV average selling price: £202,000
- Creation of 120 new jobs in Slovakia
- Annual cost savings of £750,000 through efficiency improvements
The new facilities are scheduled to begin operations in 2025-2026, marking a significant step in JLR’s commitment to sustainable luxury vehicle manufacturing. These new facilities will likely also be key to the revitalization of the Jaguar brand, which is going upmarket to a new customer base that will demand more individualised paint options and more environmentally-friendly production methods. Paint shops are seen to be one of the largest contributors of manufacturing emissions in the car making process due to the intensive heating and curing processes involved.
