HRH The Princess Royal visited JLR Halewood for a special diamond anniversary tour to mark 60 years of manufacturing since the first vehicle was produced at the Merseyside facility, in 1963.
Her Royal Highness was given exclusive insight into electrification plans and works underway at the site as it is reimagined as an all-electric manufacturing facility.
Local charity, The Inclusive Hub, was also invited to the royal occasion after being selected by employees for a vehicle donation as part of an internal recognition scheme. HRH The Princess Royal presented the charity with a Discovery Sport, built at Halewood, on behalf of JLR. The donation was in recognition of their amazing work in the local community to empower people of all ages and abilities through exercise and education.
Commenting at the milestone event, Trevor Leeks, JLR Halewood Operations Director, said:
I’m delighted to be joined by Her Royal Highness, the Lord Lieutenant, honoured guests and my fellow JLR family to celebrate our Diamond Anniversary year for car manufacturing at Halewood today.
While Halewood’s history began 60 years ago under different ownership, many of our wonderful people have long connections through that era into today’s stewardship under JLR.
We look forward to an exciting new chapter as the plant progresses at pace to an all-electric future building the next generation of vehicles as we deliver our Reimagine strategy and our ambition to be the world’s leading modern luxury car manufacturer.
Liam Starkey, Coach and Director at The Inclusive Hub, said:
This remarkable donation from JLR will help us provide life changing support for more people who are differently abled and socially isolated.
The new vehicle will help us to give more people access to our fitness sessions, school outreach sessions, mental health meetings, parent support groups and food bank hamper deliveries.
On behalf of the Inclusive Hub, our partners, our members and our community around Liverpool, we thank every single person at JLR for this invaluable and unbelievable gesture.
During her visit, HRH The Princess Royal also visited the Queen’s Green Canopy Orchard, a spectacular onsite orchard and sustainable eco-system which was planted on site to mark the Platinum Jubilee in 2022.
JLR are transforming their business to become carbon net zero across their supply chain, products, and operations by 2039. They have set a roadmap to reduce emissions across our own operations and value chains by 2030 through approved, science-based targets. The company says: “Electrification is central to this strategy and before the end of the decade our Range Rover, Discovery, Defender collections will each have a pure electric model, while Jaguar will be entirely electric.”
They state: “At heart we are a British company, with two design and engineering sites, three vehicle manufacturing facilities, an engine manufacturing centre, and a battery assembly centre in the UK. We also have vehicle plants in China, Brazil, India, Austria, and Slovakia, as well as seven technology hubs across the globe.”
JLR confirmed earlier this year that Halewood would become an all-electric manufacturing facility.
