Jaguar Land Rover begins construction of its local manufacturing facility in Brazil

Jaguar Land Rover commences the construction of the new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The carmaker also plans to build the first overseas Education Business Partnership Centre there.

The new local manufacturing plant that is being built in Brazil makes Jaguar Land Rover the first British automotive company to invest in a production facility there. The new plant will cover an area of 60,000 sq.m. where 24,000 cars are expected to be manufactured annually, while employing 400 people in Itatiaia. The first car that will roll off the production line in 2016 will be the new Discovery Sport that was showcased at the Sao Paulo Motor Show.

The company's education program has tasted quite a bit of success in the UK and the automaker plans to open an Education Business Partnership Centre in Brazil. While providing a range of classroom activities, this centre aims at assisting local school children develop key skills, work awareness and inspire them to pursue rewarding careers at Jaguar Land Rover in the future.

Ralf Speth, Chief Executive Officer, said, "Our new facility in Brazil is an important strand of Jaguar Land Rover's long term sustainability. The start of construction today is a significant milestone and represents another step forward in our plans to create a truly global manufacturing footprint. The confirmation of Jaguar Land Rover's first overseas Education Business Partnership Centre demonstrates our commitment to developing the skills needed by tomorrow's workforce to create a sustainable premium automotive manufacturing industry in Brazil."

Jaguar Land Rover has had a presence in the Brazilian market for more than 20 years and plans to expand its dealer network there. With extensive investment plans with dealers, the manufacturer plans to have 42 dealers in major regions in Brazil by the end of March 2015. Through these new dealerships the carmaker will be able to offer its products more effectively. At present, the Range Rover Sport, Range Rover Evoque and the Land Rover Discovery are enjoying a good demand there.