Nissan issues Sunderland plant update and plans to axe 10% of Europe workforce

Japanese car giant Nissan has announced plans to shed 10% of its European workforce and axe one of two production lines at its Sunderland plant. The company has begun telling staff about the shake-up which, according to reports, could lead to 900 office jobs, including some in the UK. Nissan has unveiled a global restructuring. As part of the overhaul, Sunderland’s two existing production lines will be combined into one, although sources told the Mirror this will not lead to redundancies. It employs about 6,000 people. Sunderland - which makes the Qashqai model - is already operating at well below capacity. The removing of one production paves the way for another manufacturer, widely rumoured to be a Chinese firm, to take over the space. Reports have linked Nissan with Chinese firm Chery, which owns the Omoda and Jaecoo, It is the fastest growing Chinese group in the UK with a 6% market share in March, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. Insiders say there is no certainty at this stage that a deal will ve done to utilise the spare production line, but an announcement could be made in the coming months. A Nissan spokesperson said: “Under the Re:Nissan recovery plan, we have been taking decisive actions to enhance performance and create a leaner, more resilient business that adapts quickly to market changes. “As part of this approach, today we have opened discussions with our European employees with a view to simplifying our structures, reducing complexity, and ensuring we operate in a sustainable and profitable way. “This includes discussions on proposals for the partial closure of our Barcelona warehouse and to move to an importer model for our Nordic markets. “We have also announced that we will consolidate production from two lines to one at our Sunderland Plant as we assess future opportunities to secure full plant utilisation.”