As the UK government battles all things Brexit, Tata Motors, the Indian owner of Britain’s largest car maker Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has reiterated its commitment to the British auto industry.
Tata Sons Chairman N. Chandrasekaran is understood to have written to the UK Prime Minister, Theresa May, to offer assurances that his company is committed to investing in Jaguar and has no intention of selling, The Times reports.
The UK newspaper added that Tata Group has sought British government support for electric and driverless technology, and for building a battery factory in the English midlands.
This comes amid reports of JLR being forced to shed more than 1,000 agency staff jobs and putting 2,000 workers at its Castle Bromwich plant in the west midlands on a three-day week.
Of late JLR car sales have fallen sharply in China, its largest overseas market, and the car maker posted half-year losses of £354 million between March and September, compared to a profit of £953 million for the same period a year ago.
JLR CEO Ralf Speth had earlier warned that Brexit would adversely hit the car maker’s supply chains and sales if Britain exits the European Union without a good deal in place.
The Tata Group acquired the British car brand from Ford in 2008 for US$ 2.3 billion, and turned the ailing company into a profitable one with over 40,000 employees.