SMMT News

Nissan presses on with UK investment in £37 million plant expansion

19 June 2015 #SMMT News

Nissan is continuing its commitment to its UK manufacturing base by investing £37 million in expanding its Sunderland car production plant. The new investment will see the facility extended to cater for a new extra-large 5,200 tonne press line to support the ongoing UK production of the brand’s crossover and electric car models.

Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said, “This is great news for Nissan and its Sunderland workforce and follows more than £1 billion of fresh investment into UK vehicle production already announced this year. UK automotive is experiencing a renaissance and continued investments like this will help Britain build on its growing reputation for low carbon vehicle development. With commitment to both electric vehicles and crossovers, this is also an example of a manufacturer investing in two market segments which are seeing strong growth both in the UK and abroad.”

The new press line and panel storage area will extend the current facility, taking its total size to over 362,000m2 – equivalent to more than 50 football pitches. The press will be the biggest at the Sunderland plant and make larger panels for all the Nissan vehicles manufactured there, as well as the two upcoming new Infiniti models.

Nissan Senior Vice President for Manufacturing, Purchasing and Supply Chain Management in Europe, Colin Lawther, said, “Nearly three million customers have bought a Nissan crossover that was manufactured here in the UK, and the 33,000 Nissan LEAFs made here have helped it to become the best-selling electric vehicle in history.

“This fresh investment is a clear signal of our intent to continue leading in these key areas for the Nissan brand, with our crossover and electric vehicle success founded on the exceptional quality and delivery standards achieved by our workforce here in Sunderland.”

In addition to the £37 million investment, Nissan is also recruiting 300 new staff to support the production of the forthcoming new models. For more information and to apply, visit the Nissan Careers website.

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