- New Extra-Large Press unveiled in UK plant
- Part of £400m investment in facilities in preparation for new Qashqai
- New Juke production hits 35,000 as model celebrates 10th anniversary
SUNDERLAND, UK – Nissan today unveiled a new £52m XL press line in its UK manufacturing plant, as preparations ramp up for the hotly-anticipated next generation Qashqai.
The press, which weighs more than 2,000 tonnes and has taken 18 months to install, is part of a £400m investment by Nissan in readiness for the new Qashqai, which will be the third-generation of the pioneering crossover.
The first specially commissioned panels on the press were produced today at an official ceremony, led by Nissan Chief Operating Officer Ashwani Gupta, who said: "When the first Nissan Qashqai rolled off the line in Sunderland in 2006 it created the crossover segment.
"Designed, engineered and made in the UK, and more than three million vehicles later, it remains the benchmark, just as our team in the UK continues to set the standard for productivity and quality."
The £52m investment in the new press includes a new recycling system to segregate and process scrap, and upgrades to the existing blanking line which will supply flat blanks (the sheets of metal that are ready to be pressed) to the XL press. It is capable of stamping more than 6.1million vehicle panels a year, with a maximum combined force of 5,400 tonnes, all to pinpoint accuracy.
As part of the opening ceremony today, the whole team behind the press project signed the first panel – a fender for the new Juke.
March 2020 marks the tenth anniversary of the first Juke to roll off the line in Sunderland, when its daring styling broke the mold in the B-segment. The all-new version has been made exclusively in Sunderland since October last year, bringing new levels of technology and connectivity to the compact crossover category.
Steve Marsh, Vice President, Manufacturing, at Nissan Sunderland Plant, said: "Watching the first perfect panels coming off the press was a proud moment, and is a reflection of the tremendous skills we have here on Wearside.
"Juke is an iconic model. I know I speak for the whole plant in saying how proud we are to see the fantastic new version out on the roads, and that we are determined to keep delivering it to the quality levels our customers have come to expect."
The £400m invested for Qashqai comes on top of the £100m invested for the launch of new Juke, and is part of an overall £1bn planned investment into the plant by Nissan over five years. To support certain elements of the £400m investment, Nissan has received support from the UK Government's Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy.
ENDS
About Nissan in Europe
Nissan has one of the most comprehensive European presences of any overseas manufacturer, employing more than 16,000 staff across locally based design, research & development, manufacturing, logistics and sales & marketing operations. In 2018, Nissan plants in the UK, Spain and Russia produced about 600,000 vehicles including award-winning crossovers, commercial vehicles and the Nissan LEAF, Europe's most selling electric vehicle in 2018. Pursuing a goal of zero emissions and zero fatalities on the road, Nissan is leading the field with its vision of Intelligent Mobility. Designed to guide Nissan's product and technology pipeline, this 360 degree approach to the future of mobility will anchor critical company decisions around how cars are powered, how cars are driven, and how cars integrate into society.
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About Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
Nissan is a global full-line vehicle manufacturer that sells more than 60 models under the Nissan, INFINITI and Datsun brands. In fiscal year 2018, the company sold 5.52 million vehicles globally, generating revenue of 11.6 trillion yen. Nissan's global headquarters in Yokohama, Japan, manages operations in six regions: Asia & Oceania; Africa, the Middle East & India; China; Europe; Latin America; and North America. Nissan has partnered with French manufacturer Renault since 1999 and acquired a 34% stake in Mitsubishi Motors in 2016. The Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance sold 10.76 million vehicles combined in calendar year 2018.
For more information about our products, services and commitment to sustainable mobility, visit nissan-global.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn and see all our latest videos on YouTube.
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Media contact
Ben Guy, Nissan Sunderland Plant
Tel: +44 (0) 191 4152038
M: +44 (0) 7779 783652
ben.guy@nissan-nmuk.co.uk
Stuart Boyd, Nissan Sunderland Plant
Tel: +44 (0) 191 418 9384
M:+44 (0)7580 330 850
Stuart.boyd@nissan-nmuk.co.uk
Lucy Banwell, Nissan Sunderland Plant
Tel: +44 (0) 191 415 2815
M: +44 (0)7743 859 930
lucy.banwell@nissan-nmuk.co.uk
