Jaguar Land Rover has announced that construction of its manufacturing facility in Brazil has begun. The $750 million plant is located in Itatiaia, in the state of Rio de Janeiro; it will employ 400 people and have an annual production capacity of 24,000 vehicles — about 5% of the net vehicles sold by JLR in the last 12 months.

The new plant will augment JLR’s production capabilities, and is expected to roll-out its first vehicle in 2016. The ground-breaking ceremony was attended by the state’s Governor — Luiz Fernando Pezão — and JLR chief executive Ralf Speth.

Dr Speth said: “Our new facility in Brazil is an important strand of Jaguar Land Rover’s long-term sustainability. The start of construction is a significant milestone and represents another step forward in our plans to create a truly global manufacturing footprint.”

Governor Pezão said: “Jaguar Land Rover is paving the way to consolidate Rio de Janeiro as the second-biggest automotive hub in Brazil. We can consider this an historic achievement for our state. Rio de Janeiro offers the perfect conditions to JLR, allowing the company to build this facility in Itatiaia, where we already have a very well-structured automotive hub, with qualified workforce and suppliers.”