Member Article

Qashqai to be built in Sunderland safeguarding 6,000 jobs

The new version of the Qashqai will be built in Sunderland, car manufacturer Nissan announced yesterday.

It said workers in Britain will design, engineer and build the new model and the £192m project will safeguard 6,000 jobs directly and indirectly.

The Sunderland plant has already been building the Qashqai model and is due to produce its millionth this month.

The design will be created in London, before being finalised in Cranfield, Bedfordshire.

The announcement was made by Nissan president and chief executive officer Carlos Ghosn with Prime Minister David Cameron.

Mr Ghosn said: “The UK has been a cornerstone of Nissan manufacturing since 1986, with the Sunderland plant setting important benchmarks for quality and efficiency in Europe and around the world.

“It’s the home of the Qashqai, one of Nissan’s biggest product successes.

“And as Nissan’s leadership in sustainable transportation grows, the plant will become one of the pillars of our zero-emission manufacturing.”

Andrew Sugden, director of membership and policy at the North East Chamber of Commerce (NECC) said:

“The decision to build the new Nissan Qashqai in Sunderland is fantastic news. It reflects the quality and skills of the workforce in the North East and the strength of Nissan’s supply chain, many of which are based in the region.

“Coming on the back of Nissan investing £420m in the Sunderland plant for the production of the electric LEAF car, it’s another great boost to the confidence of the North East.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .