Luxury car makers welcome support for industry

publication date: Sep 9, 2008

 | 

author/source: Robin Roberts

Jaguar Land Rover has welcomed a Government initiative aimed at encouraging and supporting UK manufacturing as being central to Britain's future prosperity and urged its full implementation.

Prior to announcing their new strategy, Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Chancellor of the Exchequer Alastair Darling, were accompanied on a fact-finding tour of Jaguar Land Rover's Castle Bromwich facility in the West Midlands by the strategy's architects, Secretary of State
For Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform John Hutton and Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills John Denham.
David Smith, CEO of Jaguar Land Rover, said, "We believe the manufacturing sector is central to the future prosperity of the UK economy, and share the Government's view that manufacturing's contribution to the UK is significant and not given the recognition it deserves. We therefore welcome this initiative and look forward to its full implementation.
"Jaguar Land Rover is striving to sustain and grow its manufacturing and R&D operations in the UK, but clearly global competition continues to intensify and we have faced considerable pressures from rising energy and commodity prices, combined with reduced consumer demand.
"We therefore support actions that underpin UK manufacturing investment and productivity during this difficult period, including the development of trade opportunities with low cost supply chains and actions to support economic growth and reduce input and financing costs".
The SMMT has also praised the industry initiative.
“The automotive industry is a major player in the UK manufacturing sector, employing over 850,000 people and contributes greatly to the economy,” said Paul Everitt, SMMT chief executive.
“The motor industry welcomes this latest initiative and hopes that government is swift in converting its words into action, to raise the image of manufacturing and safeguard the future of the sector.”