Assembly in China / End of Lode Lane

A draft discussion document is reportedly floating around concerning
whether there's merit in developing a Chinese assembly plant for new
Land Rover products, including Freelander[1] and Range Rover Sport.

This follows further unconfirmed reports that plans to pull out of
Solihull in 2012 are back on the table. The site at Lode Lane
together with associated land nearby is thought to be worth in the
region of 500 Million Pounds[2] if planning consent is granted for
'development'.



[1] The new Freelander is not assembled in Solihull.
[2] This is the figure that was quoted in May 2005.

Mother wrote:
> A draft discussion document is reportedly floating around concerning
> whether there's merit in developing a Chinese assembly plant for new
> Land Rover products, including Freelander[1] and Range Rover Sport.
>
> This follows further unconfirmed reports that plans to pull out of
> Solihull in 2012 are back on the table. The site at Lode Lane
> together with associated land nearby is thought to be worth in the
> region of 500 Million Pounds[2] if planning consent is granted for
> 'development'.
>
>
>
> [1] The new Freelander is not assembled in Solihull.
> [2] This is the figure that was quoted in May 2005.
>
>
>
Isn't that the ultimate sacrilege?

I spent hours there once whinging about my then new Series 2a losing oil at the
rate of a pint a week from the main box. They fixed it while I waited in the end

--
Karen

If you can't be a good example, then you'll just have to be a horrible warning.'
Catherine Aird

Duracell Bunny <[email protected]> uttered summat worrerz funny
about:
> Isn't that the ultimate sacrilege?
>
> I spent hours there once whinging about my then new Series 2a losing
> oil at the rate of a pint a week from the main box. They fixed it
> while I waited in the end

I presume you mean China, it would take far longer in the UK to raise an
invoice never mind fix it.

Lee D

In message <[email protected]>
Duracell Bunny <[email protected]> wrote:

> Mother wrote:
> > A draft discussion document is reportedly floating around concerning
> > whether there's merit in developing a Chinese assembly plant for new
> > Land Rover products, including Freelander[1] and Range Rover Sport.
> >
> > This follows further unconfirmed reports that plans to pull out of
> > Solihull in 2012 are back on the table. The site at Lode Lane
> > together with associated land nearby is thought to be worth in the
> > region of 500 Million Pounds[2] if planning consent is granted for
> > 'development'.
> >
> >
> >
> > [1] The new Freelander is not assembled in Solihull.
> > [2] This is the figure that was quoted in May 2005.
> >
> >
> >
> Isn't that the ultimate sacrilege?

It is - I'm surprised that they would consider closing Solihull
after the ill-will genetared towards Jaguar by closing Browns Lane.

The marketing men & bean counters will doubtless have very good
reasons on paper for saying where it's made doesn't matter (and
they'd probably be right for Freelander), but balance sheets don't
take into account brand image (the real image, not the marketing
mens glossy brochure version) and, let's face it, the Made In
England bit. Just look at the meltdown at Wedgewood after they
moved production overseas, and the consequent complete collapse
of the entire Stoke pottery industry.

>
<snip>
>

Richard


--
www.beamends-lrspares.co.uk [email protected]
www.radioparadise.com - Good Music, No Vine
Lib Dems - Townies keeping comedy alive

beamendsltd wrote:
> In message
>
> <[email protected]>
> Duracell Bunny <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> Mother wrote:
>>> A draft discussion document is reportedly floating around concerning
>>> whether there's merit in developing a Chinese assembly plant for new
>>> Land Rover products, including Freelander[1] and Range Rover Sport.
>>>
>>> This follows further unconfirmed reports that plans to pull out of
>>> Solihull in 2012 are back on the table. The site at Lode Lane
>>> together with associated land nearby is thought to be worth in the
>>> region of 500 Million Pounds[2] if planning consent is granted for
>>> 'development'.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> [1] The new Freelander is not assembled in Solihull.
>>> [2] This is the figure that was quoted in May 2005.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>> Isn't that the ultimate sacrilege?
>
> It is - I'm surprised that they would consider closing Solihull
> after the ill-will genetared towards Jaguar by closing Browns Lane.
>
> The marketing men & bean counters will doubtless have very good
> reasons on paper for saying where it's made doesn't matter (and
> they'd probably be right for Freelander), but balance sheets don't
> take into account brand image (the real image, not the marketing
> mens glossy brochure version) and, let's face it, the Made In
> England bit. Just look at the meltdown at Wedgewood after they
> moved production overseas, and the consequent complete collapse
> of the entire Stoke pottery industry.
>
>>
> <snip>
>>
>
> Richard

Seems ona news this am, new freeloader is going to Hailwood.

--
Don't say it cannot be done, rather what is needed to do it!

If the answer is offensive maybe the question was inappropriate

The fiend of my fiend is my enema!

In message <[email protected]>
"GbH" <[email protected]> wrote:

> beamendsltd wrote:
> > In message
> >
> > <[email protected]>
> > Duracell Bunny <[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> >> Mother wrote:
> >>> A draft discussion document is reportedly floating around concerning
> >>> whether there's merit in developing a Chinese assembly plant for new
> >>> Land Rover products, including Freelander[1] and Range Rover Sport.
> >>>
> >>> This follows further unconfirmed reports that plans to pull out of
> >>> Solihull in 2012 are back on the table. The site at Lode Lane
> >>> together with associated land nearby is thought to be worth in the
> >>> region of 500 Million Pounds[2] if planning consent is granted for
> >>> 'development'.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> [1] The new Freelander is not assembled in Solihull.
> >>> [2] This is the figure that was quoted in May 2005.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >> Isn't that the ultimate sacrilege?
> >
> > It is - I'm surprised that they would consider closing Solihull
> > after the ill-will genetared towards Jaguar by closing Browns Lane.
> >
> > The marketing men & bean counters will doubtless have very good
> > reasons on paper for saying where it's made doesn't matter (and
> > they'd probably be right for Freelander), but balance sheets don't
> > take into account brand image (the real image, not the marketing
> > mens glossy brochure version) and, let's face it, the Made In
> > England bit. Just look at the meltdown at Wedgewood after they
> > moved production overseas, and the consequent complete collapse
> > of the entire Stoke pottery industry.
> >
> >>
> > <snip>
> >>
> >
> > Richard
>
> Seems ona news this am, new freeloader is going to Hailwood.

Unless I've missed something (I have to admit "news" regarding
Freelanders doesn't leap out at me!), it's been made there
for some time.

>

Richard
--
www.beamends-lrspares.co.uk [email protected]
www.radioparadise.com - Good Music, No Vine
Lib Dems - Townies keeping comedy alive

I was not aware of the collaspe of wedgewood, however I remember seeing a
BBC program, forgot the name of it but the Main Spanner was meant to spend a
week mixing it with the plebs. Anyway at that stage they were talking about
mechanisation and how it was going to imporove things. As you say, somtimes
image is not all about beancounting.

That said, there is not doubt that LR need to jack up quality. I spoke to a
chap at the airport the other day who has just bought a LandCruiser Pickup
which costs a massive ZAR320 000 here in South Africa. He said that after
five LR's in five years, each of them needing major repairs (like new
gearboxes) and suffering even bigger depreciation he finally thought that he
had given them enough of an oppertunity to prove themselves.

I just wish they could retain their core values while enjoying toyota levels
of reliability and resale values.

Regards
Stephen

"beamendsltd" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:2a44a7b4e%[email protected]...
> In message <[email protected]>
> Duracell Bunny <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> Mother wrote:
>> > A draft discussion document is reportedly floating around concerning
>> > whether there's merit in developing a Chinese assembly plant for new
>> > Land Rover products, including Freelander[1] and Range Rover Sport.
>> >
>> > This follows further unconfirmed reports that plans to pull out of
>> > Solihull in 2012 are back on the table. The site at Lode Lane
>> > together with associated land nearby is thought to be worth in the
>> > region of 500 Million Pounds[2] if planning consent is granted for
>> > 'development'.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > [1] The new Freelander is not assembled in Solihull.
>> > [2] This is the figure that was quoted in May 2005.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> Isn't that the ultimate sacrilege?
>
> It is - I'm surprised that they would consider closing Solihull
> after the ill-will genetared towards Jaguar by closing Browns Lane.
>
> The marketing men & bean counters will doubtless have very good
> reasons on paper for saying where it's made doesn't matter (and
> they'd probably be right for Freelander), but balance sheets don't
> take into account brand image (the real image, not the marketing
> mens glossy brochure version) and, let's face it, the Made In
> England bit. Just look at the meltdown at Wedgewood after they
> moved production overseas, and the consequent complete collapse
> of the entire Stoke pottery industry.
>
>>
> <snip>
>>
>
> Richard
>
>
> --
> www.beamends-lrspares.co.uk [email protected]
> www.radioparadise.com - Good Music, No Vine
> Lib Dems - Townies keeping comedy alive

beamendsltd wrote:
> In message <[email protected]>
> "GbH" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> beamendsltd wrote:
>>> In message
>>>
>>> <[email protected]>
>>> Duracell Bunny <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Mother wrote:
>>>>> A draft discussion document is reportedly floating around
>>>>> concerning whether there's merit in developing a Chinese assembly
>>>>> plant for new Land Rover products, including Freelander[1] and
>>>>> Range Rover Sport.
>>>>>
>>>>> This follows further unconfirmed reports that plans to pull out of
>>>>> Solihull in 2012 are back on the table. The site at Lode Lane
>>>>> together with associated land nearby is thought to be worth in the
>>>>> region of 500 Million Pounds[2] if planning consent is granted for
>>>>> 'development'.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> [1] The new Freelander is not assembled in Solihull.
>>>>> [2] This is the figure that was quoted in May 2005.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>> Isn't that the ultimate sacrilege?
>>>
>>> It is - I'm surprised that they would consider closing Solihull
>>> after the ill-will genetared towards Jaguar by closing Browns Lane.
>>>
>>> The marketing men & bean counters will doubtless have very good
>>> reasons on paper for saying where it's made doesn't matter (and
>>> they'd probably be right for Freelander), but balance sheets don't
>>> take into account brand image (the real image, not the marketing
>>> mens glossy brochure version) and, let's face it, the Made In
>>> England bit. Just look at the meltdown at Wedgewood after they
>>> moved production overseas, and the consequent complete collapse
>>> of the entire Stoke pottery industry.
>>>
>>>>
>>> <snip>
>>>>
>>>
>>> Richard
>>
>> Seems ona news this am, new freeloader is going to Hailwood.
>
> Unless I've missed something (I have to admit "news" regarding
> Freelanders doesn't leap out at me!), it's been made there
> for some time.
>
>>
>
> Richard

Sorry it was NEWs to me.

--
Don't say it cannot be done, rather what is needed to do it!

If the answer is offensive maybe the question was inappropriate

The fiend of my fiend is my enema!

On or around Wed, 25 Oct 2006 14:55:41 +0200, "fanie"
<[email protected]> enlightened us thusly:

>That said, there is not doubt that LR need to jack up quality.

not sure that moving production to China is gonna do much for the quality.
--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.net my opinions are just that
"There are three sorts of people in the world - those who can count,
and those who can't" (Anon)

Austin Shackles wrote:
> On or around Wed, 25 Oct 2006 14:55:41 +0200, "fanie"
> <[email protected]> enlightened us thusly:
>
>> That said, there is not doubt that LR need to jack up quality.
>
> not sure that moving production to China is gonna do much for the
> quality.

What, you mean it might improve??

--
Ta!

Nige

Subaru WRX (54)
Land Rover Turbo Diesel 110 (G)
KTM 520 SX (2001)
Kawasaki ZZR 1100 (1995)

"Nige" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Austin Shackles wrote:
>> On or around Wed, 25 Oct 2006 14:55:41 +0200, "fanie"
>> <[email protected]> enlightened us thusly:
>>
>>> That said, there is not doubt that LR need to jack up quality.
>>
>> not sure that moving production to China is gonna do much for the
>> quality.
>
> What, you mean it might improve??
>
> --
> Ta!
>
> Nige
>
> Subaru WRX (54)
> Land Rover Turbo Diesel 110 (G)
> KTM 520 SX (2001)
> Kawasaki ZZR 1100 (1995)

Think of the sales potential two hours after you bought one you would fancy
another. I reckon China is a smoke screen if you want to be efficient you
build them close to your major market so its either US or Cheshire where all
the minted footballers live.
Derek

--
To reply remove " spam "
"Mother" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>A draft discussion document is reportedly floating around concerning
> whether there's merit in developing a Chinese assembly plant for new
> Land Rover products, including Freelander[1] and Range Rover Sport.
>
> This follows further unconfirmed reports that plans to pull out of
> Solihull in 2012 are back on the table. The site at Lode Lane
> together with associated land nearby is thought to be worth in the
> region of 500 Million Pounds[2] if planning consent is granted for
> 'development'.
>
>
>
> [1] The new Freelander is not assembled in Solihull.
> [2] This is the figure that was quoted in May 2005.

I am sorry to here this if it happens. But as far as I am concerned Land
Rover died when the new Range Rover with monocoque chassis came out and also
the freelander, These aren't Proper Land Rovers and not open to as much
modification as the old British ones, although I suppose one must move with
the times !!!!! Oh well Britain left behind again :-(((

Richard

"beamendsltd" wrote after>
karen_oz wrote:
>
>> Mother wrote:
>> > A draft discussion document is reportedly floating around concerning
>> > whether there's merit in developing a Chinese assembly plant for new
>> > Land Rover products, including Freelander[1] and Range Rover Sport.
>> >
>> > This follows further unconfirmed reports that plans to pull out of
>> > Solihull in 2012 are back on the table. The site at Lode Lane
>> > together with associated land nearby is thought to be worth in the
>> > region of 500 Million Pounds[2] if planning consent is granted for
>> > 'development'.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > [1] The new Freelander is not assembled in Solihull.
>> > [2] This is the figure that was quoted in May 2005.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> Isn't that the ultimate sacrilege?
>
> It is - I'm surprised that they would consider closing Solihull
> after the ill-will genetared towards Jaguar by closing Browns Lane.
>
> The marketing men & bean counters will doubtless have very good
> reasons on paper for saying where it's made doesn't matter (and
> they'd probably be right for Freelander), but balance sheets don't
> take into account brand image (the real image, not the marketing
> mens glossy brochure version) and, let's face it, the Made In
> England bit. Just look at the meltdown at Wedgewood after they
> moved production overseas, and the consequent complete collapse
> of the entire Stoke pottery industry.
>
I thought it was Royal Doulton that moved to China?
Have Wegewood gone as well?

--
Regards
Bob H
17mls W. of London.UK

Lee_D wrote:
> Duracell Bunny <[email protected]> uttered summat worrerz funny
> about:
>> Isn't that the ultimate sacrilege?
>>
>> I spent hours there once whinging about my then new Series 2a losing
>> oil at the rate of a pint a week from the main box. They fixed it
>> while I waited in the end
>
> I presume you mean China, it would take far longer in the UK to raise an
> invoice never mind fix it.
>
> Lee D
>
>
No, Lode Lane. They fixed it FOC as it was only 3 weeks old. I just drove there
from home (I used to live in Leamington Spa many eons ago)

Bit of whingeing from one of the people there (folks just turning up at the
factory expecting their vehicles to be fixed blah blah) but they did it, did it
quickly & did it well. This would have been around 1968 ...

--
Karen Gallagher

"Reverse the polarity and invert the particle flux!"
"You mean put the batteries in the other way?"
"...yes."
-Star Trek (any of them)

On Wed, 25 Oct 2006 19:38:38 GMT, "Derek"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>I reckon China is a smoke screen if you want to be efficient you
>build them close to your major market

A very large number of the new Freelanders are destined for China.

They have the fastest growing economy in the history of our planet.

A quote from Newsnight last night was that if, in the UK we ALL
stopped using our cars to prevent global warming, the growth in China
in just 86 days alone would match the reduction we would have achieved
by our sacrifice.

The real smokescreen is the politically inspired, media hyped notion
that _our_ so called 'gas guzzlers' are responsible for global
warming.

Another useless statistic being that I could drive Grumble around the
circumference of the globe and not pollute the planet anywhere near as
much as flying to Paris and back for a romantic weekend.

On 2006-10-26, Mother <[email protected]> wrote:

> The real smokescreen is the politically inspired, media hyped notion
> that _our_ so called 'gas guzzlers' are responsible for global
> warming.

Well, in order for politicians and media to keep their jobs, there has
to be a continuous stream of problems to scare us with and solutions
to soothe us with. Neither need to be real, we can have real problems
with fake solutions, as long as those solutions don't have politically
damaging victims, and let's face it, we're not.

--
Blast off and strike the evil Bydo empire!

"Bob Hobden" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>

> I thought it was Royal Doulton that moved to China?
> Have Wegewood gone as well?

All the major Stoke potteries have moved some of their production overseas.

Royal Doulton is the only one of them to have shut down all its Stoke
manufacturing operations.

Wedgewood, Spode, Port Merrion and etc all still have factories in Stoke
but on a much smaller scale, and, of course, the studio potteries'
suppliers like Studiocraft are still there.

--
William Black


I've seen things you people wouldn't believe.
Barbeques on fire by the chalets past the castle headland
I watched the gift shops glitter in the darkness off the Newborough gate
All these moments will be lost in time, like icecream on the beach
Time for tea.

In message <[email protected]>
"Bob Hobden" <[email protected]> wrote:

>
> "beamendsltd" wrote after>
> karen_oz wrote:
> >
> >> Mother wrote:
> >> > A draft discussion document is reportedly floating around concerning
> >> > whether there's merit in developing a Chinese assembly plant for new
> >> > Land Rover products, including Freelander[1] and Range Rover Sport.
> >> >
> >> > This follows further unconfirmed reports that plans to pull out of
> >> > Solihull in 2012 are back on the table. The site at Lode Lane
> >> > together with associated land nearby is thought to be worth in the
> >> > region of 500 Million Pounds[2] if planning consent is granted for
> >> > 'development'.
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > [1] The new Freelander is not assembled in Solihull.
> >> > [2] This is the figure that was quoted in May 2005.
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> Isn't that the ultimate sacrilege?
> >
> > It is - I'm surprised that they would consider closing Solihull
> > after the ill-will genetared towards Jaguar by closing Browns Lane.
> >
> > The marketing men & bean counters will doubtless have very good
> > reasons on paper for saying where it's made doesn't matter (and
> > they'd probably be right for Freelander), but balance sheets don't
> > take into account brand image (the real image, not the marketing
> > mens glossy brochure version) and, let's face it, the Made In
> > England bit. Just look at the meltdown at Wedgewood after they
> > moved production overseas, and the consequent complete collapse
> > of the entire Stoke pottery industry.
> >
> I thought it was Royal Doulton that moved to China?
> Have Wegewood gone as well?

Wedgewood move some/most bare plate production to Korea (might
have been Malasia), re-importing them for decoration. As my
mother observed (being something of a Wedgewood fan) "I can get
cheaper Far Eastern plates in Tesco..."

Royal Doulton have largely vanished, and lost the "Royal"
it seems.

>

Richard

--
www.beamends-lrspares.co.uk [email protected]
www.radioparadise.com - Good Music, No Vine
Lib Dems - Townies keeping comedy alive

In message <[email protected]>
"fanie" <[email protected]> wrote:

> I was not aware of the collaspe of wedgewood, however I remember seeing a
> BBC program, forgot the name of it but the Main Spanner was meant to spend a
> week mixing it with the plebs. Anyway at that stage they were talking about
> mechanisation and how it was going to imporove things. As you say, somtimes
> image is not all about beancounting.
>
> That said, there is not doubt that LR need to jack up quality. I spoke to a
> chap at the airport the other day who has just bought a LandCruiser Pickup
> which costs a massive ZAR320 000 here in South Africa. He said that after
> five LR's in five years, each of them needing major repairs (like new
> gearboxes) and suffering even bigger depreciation he finally thought that he
> had given them enough of an oppertunity to prove themselves.
>
> I just wish they could retain their core values while enjoying toyota levels
> of reliability and resale values.

That's very well put.

Richard

>
> Regards
> Stephen
>
> "beamendsltd" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:2a44a7b4e%[email protected]...
> > In message <[email protected]>
> > Duracell Bunny <[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> >> Mother wrote:
> >> > A draft discussion document is reportedly floating around concerning
> >> > whether there's merit in developing a Chinese assembly plant for new
> >> > Land Rover products, including Freelander[1] and Range Rover Sport.
> >> >
> >> > This follows further unconfirmed reports that plans to pull out of
> >> > Solihull in 2012 are back on the table. The site at Lode Lane
> >> > together with associated land nearby is thought to be worth in the
> >> > region of 500 Million Pounds[2] if planning consent is granted for
> >> > 'development'.
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > [1] The new Freelander is not assembled in Solihull.
> >> > [2] This is the figure that was quoted in May 2005.
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> Isn't that the ultimate sacrilege?
> >
> > It is - I'm surprised that they would consider closing Solihull
> > after the ill-will genetared towards Jaguar by closing Browns Lane.
> >
> > The marketing men & bean counters will doubtless have very good
> > reasons on paper for saying where it's made doesn't matter (and
> > they'd probably be right for Freelander), but balance sheets don't
> > take into account brand image (the real image, not the marketing
> > mens glossy brochure version) and, let's face it, the Made In
> > England bit. Just look at the meltdown at Wedgewood after they
> > moved production overseas, and the consequent complete collapse
> > of the entire Stoke pottery industry.
> >
> >>
> > <snip>
> >>
> >
> > Richard
> >
> >
> > --
> > www.beamends-lrspares.co.uk [email protected]
> > www.radioparadise.com - Good Music, No Vine
> > Lib Dems - Townies keeping comedy alive
>
>

--
www.beamends-lrspares.co.uk [email protected]
www.radioparadise.com - Good Music, No Vine
Lib Dems - Townies keeping comedy alive

In message <[email protected]>
Mother <[email protected]> wrote:

> On Wed, 25 Oct 2006 19:38:38 GMT, "Derek"
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >I reckon China is a smoke screen if you want to be efficient you
> >build them close to your major market
>
> A very large number of the new Freelanders are destined for China.
>
> They have the fastest growing economy in the history of our planet.
>
> A quote from Newsnight last night was that if, in the UK we ALL
> stopped using our cars to prevent global warming, the growth in China
> in just 86 days alone would match the reduction we would have achieved
> by our sacrifice.
>
> The real smokescreen is the politically inspired, media hyped notion
> that _our_ so called 'gas guzzlers' are responsible for global
> warming.
>
> Another useless statistic being that I could drive Grumble around the
> circumference of the globe and not pollute the planet anywhere near as
> much as flying to Paris and back for a romantic weekend.
>
>

'eer - thems facts, youm not allowed to use those!

Richard

--
www.beamends-lrspares.co.uk [email protected]
www.radioparadise.com - Good Music, No Vine
Lib Dems - Townies keeping comedy alive