Nissan’s chief performance officer says the automaker is continuing to place a high emphasis on securing UK supplier content for its Sunderland plant in north east England, that is now employing more than 7,000 staff for the first time.
Speaking as the company’s new Qashqai rolled off the production line today (22 January), chief performance officer, Trevor Mann CBE, highlighted the importance of local component content to the company, which supports more than 40,000 British automotive jobs.
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“We have tried hard to have a balanced footprint,” Mann told just-auto at the Sunderland plant. “We would always welcome more inward investment and having more local investment in terms of UK content.
“It is something Nissan has worked very, very closely with government to improve.”
Designed and manufactured in the UK, the Qashqai, first launched in 2006, is now Nissan’s best-selling model in Europe, with a new version built every 61 seconds on Sunderland’s Line 1.
“Nissan supports 40,000 jobs across the UK and when you add to that the GBP500m (US$829m) investment Nissan has made in this country, for this new model, it shows how our long-term plan is giving companies the confidence to invest and create jobs,” said British Prime Minister, David Cameron.
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By GlobalDataThe automaker says Nissan has now invested GBP534m in Qashqai development and production, supporting more than 220 suppliers in 22 countries and exporting to more than 130 global markets.
As well as that investment, Nissan has also developed the Leaf electric vehicle and Mann mounted a robust defence of the brand as it looks to establish itself as an alternative powertrain concept, despite what some perceive as relatively low take-up.
“I am happy with where we are on the Leaf,” he told just-auto. “There is always room for improvement and we have very high aspirations.
“We have doubled our volume in 2013 over 2012 and we are looking at doubling this year. We have said when you have significant new technology, it is a partnership and we are working very robustly to make sure we are doing everything we can.
“The technology is working – we have 100,000 customers worldwide who love the Leaf.”
Mann cited the good performance of Leaf in Norway, whose widespread infrastructure and attractive incentives, have made the Nordic country a healthy market for Nissan’s EV.
“If you went back five years, Nissan stood alone in terms of this technology,” he said. “It gives a tick in the box to the fact this sector is good and it is here still.”
