Nissan Sunderland Expands to assemble new Infiniti Model

• Groundbreaking ceremony takes place at Sunderland Plant
• Infiniti’s global expansion gathering momentum
• Major £250m investment will create 1,000 jobs

Construction of the first Infiniti production facilities in Europe begins today in Sunderland, UK.

Part of an overall £250m investment in the UK, a groundbreaking ceremony was performed today by Executive Vice President Trevor Mann, and Fintan Knight, Vice President for Infiniti Europe, Middle East and Africa.

Mann said: “Securing the Infiniti Q30 for production at Sunderland was a tremendous achievement by the workforce and reflects the quality levels which they have reached. The existing Sunderland plant is already the largest in UK automotive history and this £250m investment will move the plant even further up the value chain and reconfirm our commitment to their future.”

Knight said whilst addressing visiting dignitaries, UK suppliers and plant staff at the ceremony: “This is a significant step for the Infiniti brand as we establish manufacturing here. The design centre in Paddington, the Technical Centre in Cranfield and the ongoing partnership with the Infiniti Red Bull Racing team in Milton Keynes testify to our strong link with the UK. Our investment here amplifies the brand’s presence in Europe, one of the key markets for Infiniti, but provides clear intent as we gear up for sales of the compact premium Q30 in 2015.  Infiniti is committed to growing its product offering over the coming years as we challenge the traditional premium offerings.”

Trevor Mann and Fintan Knight performed the groundbreaking ceremony with the aid of a specialist digger provided by construction partner Sir Robert McAlpine, indicative of a relationship which dates back to the establishment of the Sunderland Plant in 1984.

The new facilities, for the Q30 body assembly (Body Shop) and final assembly (Trim and Chassis),will cover 25,000m2 of new production space, with construction and facility installation due to be completed in time for the Q30 launch in 2015. The new Body Shop facilities will enable assembly of the Q30’s premium platform, while the Trim and Chassis extension will include a new engine installation facility.

Infiniti will become the first new car brand to be manufactured in the UK on this scale for 23 years.  The expansion is set to create 1,000 jobs at Sunderland and in its UK suppliers, including 280 new jobs at the Sunderland Plant, with the company’s Design Centre in Paddington and Technical Centre in Cranfield also involved in the Q30’s development.

New Nissan Note goes into production at Sunderland Plant

• New Nissan Note goes into production at Sunderland Plant
• £125m investment in the UK has created 2,000 automotive jobs
• UK Business Minister to attend special ceremony on production line

Nissan is today celebrating the start of production of the new Nissan Note at its record-breaking Sunderland Plant.

Already the UK’s biggest ever car plant, the new Note is set to boost production even further in Sunderland following a £125m investment by Nissan, secured for the UK with a £9.3m grant from the UK Government's Regional Growth Fund.

The official start of production is being marked at a ceremony on Line 2 at Sunderland Plant by John Martin, Nissan’s Senior Vice President for Manufacturing, Purchasing and Supply Chain Management in Europe, with the UK’s Minister of State for Business and Enterprise, Michael Fallon, in attendance.

The new Note’s design and technology has already caught the attention of customers, with Nissan dealers across Europe taking more than 14,000 pre-orders since the order books opened in July.

SVP Martin said: “The new Nissan Note is giving mainstream B-segment customers an unprecedented combination of design, technology and safety features which up to now have only been available in premium brands.

“This investment is further endorsement of our Sunderland Plant, which is now an international benchmark for productivity and quality as a result of the hard work and consistently high performance by the management and workforce.

“I would like to congratulate all of my colleagues at the plant and in our supply base on the launch of this new model, and once again thank the UK Government for their ongoing support for the automotive industry.”

In addition to vehicle assembly, the new Note has brought additional work to Nissan Sunderland Plant and its supply chain in axle production, cylinder head casting, camshaft machining and engine assembly.

In total, the upgraded Nissan Note is responsible for 2,000 new jobs in the UK automotive industry, including 400 staff at Nissan’s workforce at Sunderland, taking the number of British jobs supported by Nissan to more than 35,000.

Business Minister Michael Fallon said: "The investment by Nissan to make the Note at the world class Sunderland plant has been achieved by Government and industry working together. It provides a very welcome boost to their exceptional workforce, the North East economy and the country.

“Working in partnership with industry, our automotive industrial strategy sets out how we will secure the long term future of the sector as a UK success story by growing our share of the value chain and by getting ahead of the game in research and development on the vehicles of tomorrow.”

Designed to perfectly meet the demands of today's B segment customer, the new Nissan Note has benefited from extensive European development, tailored for European buyers. With engineering and development work for the new Note completed at the Nissan Technical Centre Europe (NTCE) in both the UK and Spain, the new Note has been designed to perfectly meet the demands of today's small car customer.

The new Note also continues the Nissan tradition of bringing bold design and exciting new technologies to a new area of the market. Customers will benefit from a raft of innovative features relevant and useful in day to day driving.

The new Note heralds the beginning of Nissan’s busiest launch period in its history in Europe, supporting the company’s goal of becoming the number 1 Asian brand in Europe. With design, engineering and manufacturing operations all based within Europe, over 80% of the Nissan cars sold in Europe are made in Europe.