Nissan Sunderland, Britain’s largest car plant, shows the way

Nissan Sunderland, Britain’s largest car plant, shows the way

“isn’t it a tragedy that it took the Japanese to pick us up, dust us down and point us in the right direction?”

If you ever doubt Britain’s ability to compete in manufacturing markets where world class skill, dedication, investment and knowledge is required, go and visit the Nissan car plant in Sunderland.

I was there last week and everything about the place is impressive. The workforce is relentless and hard grafting as the production line never stops. Well, only every now and then. But any thoughts that the work might somehow be depressing is quickly brushed aside when you detect the enthusiasm and commitment of just about everybody you meet. The cars coming off the line are second to none in terms of quality. The plant is said to be the most efficient in Europe.

Those of us that don’t work in factories can be thankful that we don’t have to work non-stop for 2-1/2 hours with a 15 minute break, another 2-1/2 hours followed by a 30 minute break, then the final 2-1/2 hours.

Sunderland makes the incredibly successful Qashqai, the weird looking Juke and the little Note. Since production began in December 2006, Sunderland has made more than 1 million Qashqais.

Nissan has announced that the mini-MPV Note will replaced by the Invitation hatchback next year (the name is provisional, see picture), the concept version of which was unveiled at the Geneva Car Show last month. As well as vehicle assembly, Sunderland will make axles, cylinder head castings, camshaft machining and engine assembly.

Nissan Invitation Concept
Nissan reckons the new model will have an initial annual volume of around 100,000. This will help to cement Sunderland as the largest car plant in the UK – a position it has held for the last 14 years.

In 2011, the plant’s 25^th year, Sunderland set a new production record with more than 480,000 cars rolling off the lines. The new model will also have a significant benefit in terms of jobs with around 2,000 new posts created at Nissan and amongst its UK supplier base. This includes 400 new Nissan hires at the Sunderland Plant increasing its overall workforce to around 6,000.

In previous visits I made to the Sunderland plant, there were many workers and managers from Japan. These seem to have been almost entirely replaced now by British operatives. I haven’t visited the Honda or Toyota plants in the U.K., and I would assume they would be just as impressive, and British operated. It all just begs the nagging question – how come the indigenous British motor industry couldn’t be as successful as the Japanese? It’s great that these three companies have highly successful operations in the U.K. but isn’t it a tragedy that it took the Japanese to pick us up, dust us down and point us in the right direction?