Key Takeaways:
– JLR invests nearly £65 million, equivalent to over $80 million, in advanced paint facilities to expand customization options.
– New facilities in Slovakia and England will allow a boost of 17,000 additional custom paint orders annually.
– Beyond expanding personalization, the initiative also aims at making the paint process more sustainable.
– The new paint facilities are set to significantly reduce CO2 emissions, contributing to JLR’s sustainability goals.
JLR: A Pioneer in Customization and Sustainable Practices
Luxury car manufacturer Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is set to expend over $80 million for the establishment of state-of-the-art paint facilities. This investment is aimed towards broadening the spectrum of personalization options for its customers whilst ensuring that the paint process becomes more eco-friendly.
As JLR continues to push boundaries in offering superior customization options, this initiative will also result in the increase of the company’s custom paint orders. The new facilities will be situated in England and Slovakia, with a capacity increment for custom paint orders reaching a staggering 17,000 annually. Beyond offering customization for the popular Range Rover, JLR is also looking to extend this service to other models in its portfolio.
Stepping Up on Sustainability
Alongside offering a multitude of options for car buyers, this venture also seeks to curb environmental damage. The new paint shop at the Nitra plant located in Slovakia is designed to offer unlimited color options for the Land Rover Defender and Discovery lines.
These facilities, anticipated to become operational by 2026, will be armed with electric curing ovens that would sidestep around 551 tons of CO2 emissions per annum. The addition of a heat exchanger in the assembly plant will further contribute to avoiding about 2,250 tons of CO2 emissions every year.
Enhanced Performance with Special Vehicle Operations
Castle Bromwich, England, is set to witness an upgrade of the Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) facilities by 2025. These facilities will include new paint booths that are designed to reduce the consumption of energy and water significantly.
Besides these environmental benefits, the new SVO facilities will use the same fully automated spray robots that are employed in high-volume facilities. This strategic move is expected to decrease paint waste by a remarkable 30%.
Profitability through Custom Paint Jobs
The hefty investment in these upgrades also proves to be a wise business strategy for JLR. Since paint shops transfer a significant fraction of CO2 into the environment – they account for 80% of emissions during car manufacturing – these upgrades will help JLR shake off its carbon footprint.
Moreover, these enhancements will pave the way for jobs that yield high profits – custom paint jobs. There’s an exponential demand for this service, especially for Range Rover’s SV line. For these models, customers can choose a color of their choice resulting in an additional cost of about $87,000.
Witnessing the success of JLR, other luxury car brands too have begun accentuating their personalization options. Examples include Mercedes-Benz expanding its renowned “Manufaktur” personalization program, Rolls-Royce broadening its factory for manufacturing tailor-made luxury vehicles and Bentley stressing on the increasing demand for its bespoke “Mulliner” personalization package.
This $80 million investment stake by JLR is a testament to the brand’s commitment to not only emphasize on personalization and customer satisfaction but also to contribute towards creating a sustainable environment.