Wolverhampton Jaguar Land Rover plant revs up for 2015 start

The news came as the man chosen to run the new factory in Wolverhampton spoke of his pride and excitement at his new role.

Speaking publicly for the first time, Ken Close, the former operations chief at the Jaguar factory in Castle Bromwich, said: "To be working here on state-of-the-art engineering, for two of the biggest brand-names in the world – Jaguar and Land Rover – it's a fantastic opportunity in the heart of the West Midlands.

"I don't think it gets much better than this. "That is why I am here and why a lot of people will want to come here as well." Looking at the huge factory under construction on the i54 site, off Wobaston Road in Fordhouses, Mr Close said: "I was last here before Christmas and there has been a lot of progress since then."

Construction company Interserve is already putting the roof on the two buildings that make up the 200,000 sq ft factory and the project teams from the builder and from Jaguar Land Rover are working together closely to keep things on track.

Around 4,200 tons of steel will go into the bildings along with 20,600 cubic metres of concrete.

Mr Close said the first JLR staff will start working at the site full-time in the late summer, starting to install production machinery while Interserve completes the building – due to be formally handed over in November.

A year of installing and testing the new production equipment will follow, making parts and complete engines, before full scale production starts in early 2015.

By that time, he said, 750 people would be working at the site along with another 200 employed by companies providing cleaning, catering and maintenance services. At the same time

Mr Close said he was working with the local councils on boosting engineering opportunites and skills training for local youngsters.

"We are here for the long term and we will be constantly hiring new people," he said.