Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) will keep its production lines shut until at least October 1 after a cyberattack forced factory closures in August. The company, Britain’s largest automaker, sent employees home from its central and northwest England plants on August 31.
The shutdown is affecting the wider U.K. auto industry. JLR, owned by India’s Tata Motors, employs over 30,000 people, with tens of thousands more supported through its supply chain.
The company has shared few details about the cyberattack but is actively investigating. In a statement, JLR said it extended the production pause “to give clarity for the coming week as we plan a phased restart and continue our investigation.”
JLR is working with law enforcement and the U.K. government’s National Cyber Security Center to resume operations safely. Business Secretary Peter Kyle and Industry Minister Chris McDonald will visit the factories and meet with suppliers.
Minister McDonald acknowledged the financial strain on suppliers and their staff, promising government support during the disruption.
The automaker aims to restart production carefully while ensuring security, highlighting the growing risk of cyberattacks in the manufacturing sector.
