BREXIT DEAL MAKES NISSAN STRONGER’
The UK’s Brexit deal has given Sunderland’s Nissan plant a competitive advantage and secured the future of thousands of jobs across Europe, the car giant’s global chief operating officer has said.
Ash waniG up tap ledgedt he firm would‘ take this opportunity to re define the auto industry in the United Kingdom ’.
Nissan began producing cars at its Wearside plant in 1986andemploysaround7,000 workers at the factory.
The company has repeatedly warned that crashing out of the EU without a deal would render its European business plan unviable.
But Mr Gupta said he believed the last-minute deal would “redefine” the UK’s auto industry.
“Brexit, for Nissan, is positive,” said Mr Gupta.
"“Brexit has brought the business continuity in the short-term, protects 75,000 jobs across Europe and most importantly – all of our models which we manufacture in Sunderland,”
“Brexit has brought Nissan a competitive advantage from being in the United Kingdom as one of the largest automakers, not only for the UK but also outside the UK, and that is why I say Brexit is positive for Nissan."
All components of the models manufactured at Sunderland were covered by the agreement on rules of origin apart from the 62kw/h batteries required for the new longrange version of the Leaf, he said.
Nissan’s supplier, Envision, will start producing the batteries later this year meaning all products, including the Qashqai e-Power, made in Sunderland, will qualify for the rules of origin.
Mr G up ta said it was too earlyto say how many new jobs the move would create.
Asked if the decision marked along-term commitmentto Sunderland, Mr G up ta replied: “Our message is consistent, as of yesterday, as of today, and it will be the same tomorrow. As far as the current business conditions are kept, we are sustainable – not only Sunderland, but the whole European business case.
“In Europe, when we had to optimise our production capacity, we chose Sunderland over Barcelona.
“We have only one production facility in Europe so this means the Sunderland plant is so important for us.
“That’s why I am challenging Sunderland to keep the competitiveness."
If Sunderland continued to be competitive and the trading conditions did not change, the plant is in the running to producemore new models, boss es say.
Mr Gupta said: “Sunderland is already one of our most competitive plants in the Nissan world. Brexit gives us the competitive advantage, not only within the United Kingdom, but outside because in how many locations in Europe are the batteries localised?”
The firm had shown faith in the Sunderland plant even while there was uncertainty over a deal.
Mr Gupta said: “Even as we were going through the Brexit period, we decided on all-new Juke, we decided on all-new Qashqai, we continued to invest in the Sunderland plant.
"We never stopped our investment just because Brexit was not clear.”
The new Juke was already selling well and if the new Qashqai was a success, the plant could return to three shift working.
"If all the new models are a success, I can go up to 600,000 based on three shifts and two lines."