Jaguar Land Rover Resumes UK Production After Month-Long Cyberattack Disruption

Retail sales experienced a 17 percent decline during the three-month period ending in September.(Representational)

United Kingdom:

Jaguar Land Rover announced Tuesday that it will resume some production operations at its UK facilities starting Wednesday, following a devastating cyberattack that halted manufacturing for over a month.

The Indian-owned automotive manufacturer also revealed plans to implement a new financing program designed to expedite payments to struggling suppliers, including provisions for upfront cash disbursements.

Manufacturing activities will be gradually restarted at two factories located in the West Midlands before expanding to additional production sites.

This cyberattack represents the latest challenge for JLR, which recently reported a significant reduction in sales after suspending exports to the United States in April in response to tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump's administration.

Tata Motors-owned JLR disclosed on Tuesday that wholesale volumes dropped 24 percent in the second quarter compared to the same period last year.

Retail sales declined by 17 percent during the three-month period concluding at the end of September.

"While significant challenges remain, our recovery process is now firmly underway," stated Chief Executive Adrian Mardell in an official statement.

JLR announced on September 2 that it had fallen victim to hackers, causing severe disruptions to both sales and production operations, compelling the company to seek emergency financial assistance.

The incident created widespread disruption throughout its supply chain, with labor unions warning that some suppliers faced potential collapse due to payment delays.

The UK government agreed to provide a loan guarantee valued at £1.5 billion ($2 billion) to help bolster the company's cash reserves and support its supply chain network.

Cyber criminal organizations have increasingly targeted UK luxury brands and retailers, with recent victims including prominent British businesses such as Marks and Spencer, Harrods, and the Co-op food chain.