British luxury car company Rolls-Royce is to recruit 200 more staff as it ramps up for more exports of its luxury cars beyond Brexit. It will take the total workforce at the firm's boutique Goodwood factory in Chichester, Sussex, to a record 2,000. That is six times the original total when the company first opened the plant 15 years ago to launch the first Phantom built under German parent-company owners BMW. Rolls-Royce's biggest export market is USA, with China starting to bounce back after a dip It comes as the prestigious UK car maker celebrates the launch of its new £250,000 Cullinan SUV – the firm's first ever purpose built 4X4. Order books are already full for the next 12 months' production run. Altogether the factory builds around 4,000 super-luxury cars a year, of which around 95 per cent are exported, including the new flagship Phantom, Ghost, Wraith, convertible Dawn and now the new Cullinan off-roader. Biggest export market is USA, with China starting to bounce back after a dip. Rolls-Royce announced recently that it was bringing forward to April its annual shutdown to reduce the risk of any short-term disruption to supplies in the event of a hard Brexit at the end of next March. Bosses at parent company BMW have also warned of the challenges to their MINI plant in Oxford if there is a no deal exit from the EU. Ray Massey driving Rolls-Royce new Cullinan SUV – the firm's first ever purpose built 4X4 But announcing the jobs boost for production in the UK, Rolls-Royce's chief executive Torsten Müller-Ötvös insisted the jobs bonanza reflected growing confidence in the business, the workforce and the future of their cars being built in the UK noting: 'We remain fully committed to luxury manufacturing at our home here in Great Britain.' The firm will be putting up posters in Portsmouth and elsewhere to recruit the 200 staff with skill and potential to be trained to handbuild the luxury limousines. Ironically, recruitment has been tough as many employers are chasing a tight pool of talent. Rolls-Royce bosses said the new job are available across all skilled production areas, including wood, leather, assembly, test & finish, paint and logistics. The firm stressed: 'The successful applicants will undergo extensive training before hand-building the company's model family members, including Phantom, Ghost, Wraith, Dawn and Cullinan'. Chief executive Mr Müller-Ötvös said: 'I am delighted to announce our new recruitment programme. This reflects not only the success of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars to date, but also our confidence in the future of our business. Skilled: New positions are available across many areas throughout the company 'Rolls-Royce continues to strive for long-term sustainable growth and we remain fully committed to luxury manufacturing at our Home here in Great Britain.' Rolls-Royce recently announced half year sales up 13 per cent compared to the same period in 2017. It said: 'Demand for all Rolls-Royce models remains strong in most regions around the world.' Sales of the new Phantom were 'excellent' while demand for 'Black Badge' variants of Dawn, Ghost and Wraith – aimed at a younger market - continued to 'surpass expectations'. The global launch of the new Cullinan is being held in the USA – Rolls-Royce's biggest market - near the exclusive resort of Jackson Hole, Wyoming. It plays second home to some of the world's rich, famous, and powerful – from world-leaders and business titans to music megastars and Hollywood royalty. Its well-heeled residents and visitors make Teton County, in which it is located, the wealthiest corner per capita of the United States. It also hosts the annual gathering of Central Bankers at the Economic Policy Symposium. Last week chief executive Harald Krueger of BMW- which owns Rolls-Royce Motor Cars at Goodwood, MINI in Oxford, and the Hams Hall engine plant near Birmingham - said it was vital to conclude a Brexit deal that maintains free trade 'to make the business safe for the future in the UK.' He told the BBC at the Paris Motor Show that BMW might have to transfer some MINI production to Holland, noting: 'We clearly need free trade and BMW is an ambassador of free trade trade. 'Free trade between European countries is important to be competitive. This is also valid for the UK. 'There are certain things we need to achieve to make the business safe for the future in the UK.' He said this included no tariff barriers, and freedom of movement of people between the UK and the EU. 'It's something about which we talk openly with politicians in the UK as well as the European Union.' He noted that BMW was looking at the long term: 'I'm sure there will be a pragmatic solution. 'We hope that it will happen because both sides need that, otherwise nobody benefits.' Job hunters seeking more details of the jobs on offer and who may wish to submit an application should visit: www.uk.gigroup.com Some links in this article may be affiliate links. If you click on them we may earn a small commission. That helps us fund This Is Money, and keep it free to use. We do not write articles to promote products. We do not allow any commercial relationship to affect our editorial independence.
UK luxury car manufacturer Rolls-Royce is hiring 4,000 employees, as exports are set to increase post-Brexit. The workers will be hired at the Goodwood factory, which builds 200 cars per year, of which 95% are exported. The announcement, coming alongside the launch of the £250,000 ($328,832) Cullivan SUV, represents the company's commitment to UK car manufacturing, partially due to H1 2018 sales increasing 13% from last year. With Rolls-Royce's biggest export market being the US, followed by China, a trade deal with the EU is not as crucial as it is for its parent company, BMW.