Jaguar Land Rover entrusted Fives with the supply of a Trim & Final Assembly Line for the Solihull plant (UK)
Land Rover’s Spiritual Home
Production of Land Rovers began at the West Midlands plant in 1948. More than two million Series Land Rover and Defender rolled off the line at Lode Lane during its 71-year production run. Solihull has also been the home of Range Rover production since the vehicle’s launch in 1970.
The site currently operates three-shift, 24-hour production to meet global demand for the Land Rover Discovery, Range Rover and Range Rover Sport. In 2015, the plant welcomed the Jaguar brand to the site for the first time in its history, with the production of the XE and F-PACE.
In the past five years, production at the plant has trebled and workforce has doubled – more than 10,700 people are currently employed there.
Jaguar Land Rover has selected Fives and its subsidiaries Fives Conveying & Fives Filling & Sealing for the realization of new manufacturing line for the future generation of Range Rover family.
Fives would be in charge of all the main body conveyance. Starting from the FIFO Body delivery conveyor, Fives would provide a floor mounted Skillet line composed of 52 CFC Frixline Skillet platens with adjustable height facility. Then Body would be transferred automatically onto a CFC OHC 6’ Chain Power & Free conveyor with 130 carriers up to a drop on wheel station. Fluid filling RapidCharge® machines will be also engineered & provided by Fives.
Fives would also deliver all the powertrain area facility such as the FEAD / MEGA Line for Engine & gearbox assembly, the engine dress line, the rear axle line sub assembly, the front axle assembly and the complete underbody conveyor up to the decking / undecking station. Associated decking toolings and dogbones are also part of the scope of the project.
This facility would be designed for 38 uph volume. Installation phase to start by September 2019 with first vehicles to be built by beginning of 2020. Full volume with Job 1 milestone is planned by September 2020.