By Costas Pitas
GAYDON, England (Reuters) - Britain’s biggest carmaker, Jaguar Land Rover, will halt production at its British factories for a week in November, its boss said on Thursday, joining BMW and Toyota in plans to help mitigate any immediate disruption from a no-deal Brexit.
The industry, Britain's biggest exporter of goods, has been vocal about its concerns that a disorderly departure from the EU could disrupt the flow of parts and vehicles, ruining production processes and damaging the viability of factories.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has vowed to take Britain out of the EU, with or without an exit deal deal, on Oct. 31. However, it remains unclear whether that will happen or if Brexit will be delayed, put back to a referendum or even cancelled.
Chief Executive Ralf Speth said the firm had to make plans now, including a stop to production at its four British factories during the first week of November.
“We cannot think about it, we just have to do it," he told reporters at an event in Gaydon, central England, to mark the opening of a new advanced product creation centre.
"I need 20 million parts a day and that means I have to make commitments to my suppliers, I have to have every and each part available and I have to have it just in time," he said.
The move will affect the firm's three car factories, which collectively built just under a third of Britain's 1.5 million cars last year, and its engine facility in Wolverhampton.
Japanese carmarker Toyota said in August it will not build cars at its British factory on Nov. 1 whilst BMW will halt production at its Oxford plant on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1.