Nissan expansion to create 800 jobs

A big boost to manufacturing in the North-east of England will be made today with the announcement that Nissan is to build a third type of model at its plant at Sunderland, creating more than 800 jobs.

Production will begin in 2000 of the new version of the Almera, expanding employment at the works by a fifth, according to sources at the plant. Output at the complex will increase by around 40 per cent from 250,000 cars a year to 350,000.

The news comes hard on the heels of the announcement of 1,300 job losses at Ford's Halewood plant, which failed to secure the replacement of the Escort. Employees at Ford plants all over the country are expected to call for strike ballots in protest at the decision.

In October Nissan revealed that it was to create 150 jobs at Sunderland following the decision to build an estate version of the Primera in the North-east. The new estate will take over from a model imported from Japan and means fresh investment of pounds 70m.