JLR, SpaceX, Lockheed: Top Manufacturing News This Week

JLR: Solihull Plant Shutdown Comes After Cyber Attack

27 March

JLR plans to shut its manufacturing facility in Solihull for nearly two weeks. This comes after a cyber incident in 2025 caused significant disruption

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), owned by Tata Motors, will close its UK Solihull plant for nearly two weeks, according to reporting by The Financial Times.

The news comes after a cyberattack last year caused a month-long shut down at all of its UK plants and the company posted a significant loss as a result of that incident. 

Lockheed, Northrop & Boeing: Manufacturers Behind Artemis II

26 March

NASA's Artemis II’s Orion craft has been created by Lockheed Martin and is expected to launch aboard a rocket in April 2026. 

The Artemis II flight is the first crewed mission of the Artemis Program, which is a key step towards long-term return flights to the moon. It will test NASA’s current deep space capabilities and Space Launch System (SLS).

Orion is the most advanced deep space craft ever developed. 

The development of the spacecraft and systems needed for a successful launch has been a collaborative effort between some of the US’s major manufacturers including Aerojet Rocketdyne, Boeing, Amentum, Jacobs, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and SpaceX.

Lisa Callahan, former Vice President and General Manager of Commercial Civil Space at Lockheed Martin, says: "Orion is a new class of spaceship, uniquely designed for long-duration deep space flight, that will return astronauts to the Moon and eventually take the first humans to Mars, and bring them all back safely."

Is Elon Musk Taking Spacecraft Manufacturer SpaceX Public?

26 March

Elon Musk's potential decision to take SpaceX public through an IPO could signal a significant shift for the aerospace manufacturer, which has remained privately held since its founding in 2002.

For two decades, Musk maintained a consistent stance against public listing, arguing that stock market pressures would conflict with the company's long-term manufacturing and exploration objectives.

However, on 24 March 2025, The Information reported that position may be changing, with implications that extend beyond aerospace into semiconductor manufacturing and advanced production technologies.

How Ball is Expanding Sustainable Aluminium Manufacturing

March 26

Ball Corp, a leading manufacturer of sustainable aluminium packaging solutions for beverage, personal care and household products, has recorded a strong 2025 in its annual report.

In 2025, it shipped 111.9 billion units of aluminium packaging worldwide and recorded US$13.16bn in net sales.

The news comes as Ball exceeds sustainability targets and expands its manufacturing operations worldwide, including in North America and India. 

Ron Lewis, CEO of Ball, says: "2025 was a record-breaking year with our global team delivering exceptional results."

How Mondelēz Scaled Recycled Plastic for Packaging Lines

March 23

Mondelēz International's European manufacturing division has successfully integrated the company's global target of 5% recycled content across its packaging lines.

This change, using processing recycled plastic resins, has enabled an annual reduction of around 1,000 tons of virgin plastic procurement and handling across European facilities.

The company has completed the transition of its thermoforming and tray-packing lines to accommodate rigid plastic trays containing approximately 80% recycled plastic (rPET) across several European facilities.

These operational improvements are being scaled across major European production hubs, including those in the UK, France, Spain, Germany, Austria and Switzerland, to further optimise its material supply chain.