Prime minister visit new i54 JLR plant
Prime Minister David Cameron has visited Jaguar Land Rover's new £500m engine plant on the i54 business park on the Staffordshire-Wolverhampton border.
The car manufacturer has taken control of the building from contractors and is due to open in the autumn when it will employ 1,400 people.
About 400,000 engines will be produced at the plant every year - one rolling off the production line every 30 seconds.
But some firms are concerned that more parts are not being made locally after it emerged that 50% of components going into the new engines will be made abroad.
John Tildesley, managing director at WH Tildesley Ltd in Willenhall, said there was capacity locally.
But Mike Wright, from Warwickshire-based JLR, said they have made the right decision around their suppliers.
Steve Bailey, a director at Lander Group, said his firm will benefit from working with JLR.
14 Feb 2014
- From the section Birmingham & Black Country