Britain’s largest carmaker, Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), has extended the shutdown of its UK factories until October 1 after a cyberattack paralysed operations and left suppliers in crisis.
The luxury automaker, owned by India’s Tata Motors, normally produces about 1,000 vehicles daily across its three UK plants. The closure is costing the company nearly £50 million ($68 million) per week, according to the BBC, with most of its 33,000 employees told to stay at home.
“This is about two things; getting JLR running again and protecting the supply chain,” said Industry Minister Chris McDonald after visiting company executives. Business Minister Peter Kyle added: “Our top priority is helping JLR restart production and protecting jobs.”
The attack has exposed the vulnerability of global businesses to cybercrime, with ransom demands increasingly hitting high-profile targets. JLR failed to finalise a cyber insurance deal before the breach, according to industry sources, leaving it uninsured for direct losses. The company declined to comment.
S&P Global reported on Tuesday that the UK’s manufacturing sector is already feeling the strain, with some firms blaming JLR’s shutdown for weaker output. The Unite trade union has warned of possible job losses in the wider supply chain, which supports over 104,000 roles nationwide.
JLR said it is preparing a phased restart but gave no details about the attackers. “We want to give clarity for the coming week as we build the timeline for restarting operations,” the company said.
The disruption comes as cyberattacks surge worldwide, with recent ransomware strikes affecting hospitals, retailers, and even airport check-in systems across Europe. Official UK data shows more than 40% of businesses reported a breach last year.
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