Car giant Nissan affirms its commitment to the UK with £1bn investment plan in Sunderland

NISSAN has underlined its commitment to post-brexit Britain by revealing the next stage of a £1bn investment programme in Sunderland.

After an 18-month installation, the Japanese company revealed a £52m press that will stamp vehicle panels for the latest Qashqai, which is expected to appear next year.

Nissan has so far invested £400m in the factory. It suggests the site will continue operating for years to come – and will reassure industry watchers concerned that Nissan’s UK manufacturing operations will shut if Britain crashes out of the EU without a free trade deal.

A model’s production run generally lasts for at least half a decade, giving Sunderland a secure future until 2026. The plant has about 6,000 staff.

Nissan’s chief operating officer Ashwani Gupta was on hand to start the press, which is capable of stamping 6.1m panels a year. He said: “Designed, engineered and made in the UK, the Qashqai remains a benchmark, just as our team in the UK continues to set the standard for productivity and quality.” Nissan has also put £100m into the Juke production line, as part of its plans to invest £1bn over five years. Sunderland is seen as the most efficient car plant in Europe and one of the best in the world. But its future could stretch only as far as the life of the new Qashqai. Car makers face 10pc tariffs if no trade agreement is reached with Brussels. In October, Gianluca Di Ficcy, Nissan Europe chairman, said: “If no deal [Brexit] means tariffs, our European business model will be in jeopardy.”

Despite the investment, wider malaise in the industry has hit Sunderland hard.

The plant built 415,000 cars in the year ending March 2018 – the latest figures available – down from a high of 516,000 in 2014.