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Car maker Jaguar Land Rover is to shut down its main plant for two weeks to reflect "fluctuating demand" - after sales to China were hit by the country's burgeoning trade war with the US.
The Solihull factory, which employs 9,000 people, will cease production for a fortnight from 22 October.
It comes after earlier this year 1,000 agency staff at the site were axed while another plant in Castle Bromwich saw production cut back to a three-day week.
Latest figures showed JLR sold 57,114 vehicles in September, 12.3% down on the same month last year - with a slump of 46.2% in China blamed on "import duty changes and continued trade tensions" holding back demand.
Sales fell 0.8% in the UK, 4.7% in Europe, and by 6.9% in North America.
Felix Brautigam, the carmaker's chief commercial officer, said: "As a business we are continuing to experience challenging conditions in some of our key markets."
JLR is Britain's biggest carmaker, employing 40,000 people.
Together with the wider industry, it has been facing a collapse in demand for diesel vehicles and has warned of uncertainty over Brexit.
The company, which is owned by India's Tata Motors, said: "Jaguar Land Rover is focused on achieving operational efficiencies and will align supply to reflect fluctuating demand globally as required.
"The decision to introduce a two week shutdown period later this month at Solihull is one example of actions we are taking to achieve this.
"Customer orders in the system will not be impacted and employees affected will be paid for the duration of the shutdown."
Howard Beckett, acting regional secretary of trade union Unite, said: "News of the shutdown will be deeply troubling for JLR workers and their colleagues in the supply chain.
"JLR is a powerhouse of the West Midlands economy and a source for decent, well-paid jobs."
Car maker Jaguar Land Rover is to shut down its main plant for two weeks to reflect "fluctuating demand" - after sales to China were hit by the country's burgeoning trade war with the US.
The Solihull factory, which employs 9,000 people, will cease production for a fortnight from 22 October.
It comes after earlier this year 1,000 agency staff at the site were axed while another plant in Castle Bromwich saw production cut back to a three-day week.
Latest figures showed JLR sold 57,114 vehicles in September, 12.3% down on the same month last year - with a slump of 46.2% in China blamed on "import duty changes and continued trade tensions" holding back demand.
Sales fell 0.8% in the UK, 4.7% in Europe, and by 6.9% in North America.
Felix Brautigam, the carmaker's chief commercial officer, said: "As a business we are continuing to experience challenging conditions in some of our key markets."
JLR is Britain's biggest carmaker, employing 40,000 people.
Together with the wider industry, it has been facing a collapse in demand for diesel vehicles and has warned of uncertainty over Brexit.
The company, which is owned by India's Tata Motors, said: "Jaguar Land Rover is focused on achieving operational efficiencies and will align supply to reflect fluctuating demand globally as required.
"The decision to introduce a two week shutdown period later this month at Solihull is one example of actions we are taking to achieve this.
"Customer orders in the system will not be impacted and employees affected will be paid for the duration of the shutdown."
Howard Beckett, acting regional secretary of trade union Unite, said: "News of the shutdown will be deeply troubling for JLR workers and their colleagues in the supply chain.
"JLR is a powerhouse of the West Midlands economy and a source for decent, well-paid jobs."
