Brakes go on after 25 years of achievement

Jan 9 2009 by Graeme King, The Journal

THE Nissan plant in Sunderland was in the vanguard of Japanese motor manufacturers arriving in the UK to service the European marketplace.

In 1984, Nissan and the UK government signed an agreement to build a plant on a 799-acre former airfield site in Washington.

Two years later the first Bluebird rolled off the production line, and the plant started to develop a strong reputation for its efficiency.

In 1990 the company moved on to making the Primera, leaving the Bluebird behind, and then two years later the hugely popular Micra started being produced, gearing the plant up into a fully- fledged two-model operation.

In 1995, the massive milestone of the millionth vehicle was reached.

In 2000, the Sunderland plant became a three-model production facility with the start of Almera production, followed in 2002 by the new Micra.

In 2005 the factory reached another record – its four millionth car. It had taken nine years for the first million, but only a further 10 years for a further three million to be made.

Three years ago, production of the stalwart Almera ended, and Nissan started manufacturing the Qashqai.

The end of the Primera came in 2007.

Last year started brightly with Nissan announcing 800 new jobs and the introduction of a third production shift, and even the announcement in June that the Micra was to be replaced by another model did not dampen spirits.

However, with car sales plummeting in recent months, even the efficient Nissan plant could not hold out for ever.

In December, the company sent its workforce home for six days after it became clear the existing production levels were not required, and now Nissan has acted swiftly to announce 1,200 job losses, which it says is necessary such is the state of the economy and declining car sales.