Jaguar Land Rover Races to Restore Parts Deliveries After Cyber Attack

Jaguar Land Rover JLR is making urgent efforts to restart the distribution of spare parts from its Midlands warehouse after a crippling cyber attack left operations at a standstill since late August. In a communication to suppliers, the carmaker revealed plans to ramp up inbound capacity starting Monday September 29 bringing hope for mechanics and garages who have struggled to repair Range Rovers and other vehicles due to dwindling stocks.

The cyber attack forced JLR to halt operations at its global parts logistics centre leading to a significant knock-on effect across its extensive supply chain. Hundreds of businesses supplying components to JLR have felt the pressure with some warning of existential threats if the disruption continues into the coming weeks.

JLR’s production lines have remained idle since August 31 with the company confirming that manufacture will not resume before October 1. Industry insiders caution that the restart could be delayed until November raising concerns for suppliers whose sales rely overwhelmingly on components for vehicle production rather than just repairs.

The temporary reopening of parts distribution will allow garages to address urgent repairs and get customers back on the road. Workshops have been forced to rely on limited supplies with many drivers unable to obtain necessary repairs. While the focus on repair parts serves motorists immediate needs suppliers note that this segment represents only a small fraction of overall sales and does little to alleviate wider pressures in the supply network.

Government officials and JLR representatives have held crisis talks with the Business Secretary meeting suppliers to discuss the impacts. Calls for financial support from unions and industry have so far been resisted though ministers have considered measures such as purchasing excess stock to protect vulnerable firms in the supply chain.

JLR emphasises that it has increased invoice settlements to suppliers to clear the backlog of missed payments and announced that its system for wholesale vehicle sales to fleets and dealerships is also operational once again. The company remains focused on supporting customers suppliers colleagues and retail partners as it works to restore normal operations. Despite this progress industry voices caution that the disruption remains far from over highlighting the ongoing strain on businesses tied to JLR’s supply chain.