Strike action at Land Rover's Midlands factory is starting to have negative knock-on effects on the supply chain. Presswork provider Sertec is considering laying off workers as the ban on overtime at the Solihull plant begins to bite.

Sertec, the UK's largest independently owned presswork company, was set up 40 years ago and has about 200 staff.

Grant Adams, managing director, says: “We are very concerned about the situation. Our workforce has been told about the difficulties we face. We are doing all we can to protect ourselves in the short term. The dispute is affecting not only the Land Rover people.”

Adams also fears for the long-term future of Solihull. “My concern is that without this being resolved quickly we all become losers. Ford could decide not to put any further investment in the plant and instead build the vehicles outside the UK.”

Jaguar, Aston Martin and MG Rover are also Sertec customers for pressed parts and assemblies.