Solihull, West Midlands - After dodging bullets, mortar and rocket fire in Afghanistan and Iraq, building a car may seem like a stroll in the park.
And canny Jaguar bosses have recruited more than 100 ex-services personnel - from the Army, Navy and Royal Air Force - to ensure their make-or-break ‘baby’ XE sedan is crafted with military precision, and they’re looking to recruit another 150.
The move is already paying off, with the former soldiers bringing ‘can do’ attitudes, skills, flexibility and improvisation.
Much is riding on the XE - Britain’s challenger to the all-conquering BMW 3 Series. It will be Jaguar’s big volume seller and thec company has spent more than £500 million (R9 billion) on a special body shop and final assembly line - covering the equivalent of 24 soccer fields.
It creates a ‘factory within a factory’ at Solihull and later this year a second Jaguar, the F-Pace SUV, will join the XE on the line. Jaguar has bet the house on this car in its attempt to crank up production to match the success of Land Rover - and a bit of military discipline is helping it meet its mission objectives.
One ex-services team, maintaining an astonishing 613 hi-tech robots used to construct the XE, adapted a rapid-response system learned maintaining fighter jets, Apache helicopters, and support equipment.
For Jaguar they built a system of individually-stocked ‘crash trolleys’ - each with contents specific to that type of problem - that can be wheeled out in an instant to deal with any machine failures.
Others have, off their own bat, made some of the day-to-day processes ‘leaner’ and more efficient.
SERGEANT MAJOR OF THE WORKSHOP
Andy Macfarlane spent 22 years with the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, including four tours in Afghanistan, before moving to Jaguar at the beginning of 2015. As a Warrant Officer First Class looking after Apache helicopters he was the ‘sergeant major of the workshop’ and admits he has had to temper his tone in civvy street.
“Having a fresh pair of eyes is helpful. In the military you are encouraged to ask why,” he said. “I’ve amended a few of the processes to make them leaner. We’re always on the lookout for continuous improvement.”
Richard Bainbridge was a fuel specialist in the Army’s Royal Logistic Corps for six years where he served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Now a group leader product coach in the XE body shop, where he has worked for two years, he said: “It’s two very different worlds.
“Life in the services gives you confidence to speak to people whatever their rank. I’m a bit of a perfectionist. I like things in order. Thinking on your feet never leaves you. And I’ve been made very welcome at Jaguar.”
Captain Julie Taylor spent more than eight years in the Army’s Royal Logistic Corps before joining Jaguar in February. She has moved from getting ammunition, rations, fuel and spare parts to front-line soldiers in Afghanistan to ensuring cars get from the factory to their showrooms.
“Some of the logistical planning is very similar,” she said, “in terms of getting things to the customer on time.”
CAN-DO ATTITUDE
Edward Connett was a general technician in the Royal Air Force, repairing ground support equipment such as generators, hydraulic and pneumatic gear and military vehicles at Afghanistan’s Kandahar base.
The former senior aircraftsman joined Jaguar a year ago as a maintenance group leader in the aluminium body shop for XE production. He was also part of the tight military team which put together the rapid response ‘crash trolley’ system copied from the RAF.
“We’ve got it set up now so that if there’s a major robot incident we can quickly wheel out the relevant trolley, depending what the problem is.”
Jaguar XE engineering boss Nick Miller, a former captain in the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers, said: “They’re a fantastically adaptable, quick learning and original group.
“The military discipline and thought processes they bring are invaluable,” he added. “They’re disciplined, think logically and prepare in advance. They think ahead: ‘What if this goes wrong? How can we prepare for that?’
“They’re targeted, they have clear objectives and a real can-do attitude - and they’re fitting in very well with our traditional workforce.”
Daily Mail