Nissan plans hundreds of job losses at Sunderland plant

Fall in diesel sales believed to be behind hundreds of job losses at Nissan’s UK factory

Nissan Plant Sunderland

Hundreds of workers at Nissan’s Sunderland plant are to lose their jobs, after company bosses said “operational changes” were causing it to enact a “short-term reduction in powertrain supply”. 

Nissan employs around 7,000 workers at its Sunderland plant, where the Qashqai, Juke and X-Trail SUVs are built. The new electric Leaf is also being built at the factory.

A recent downturn in the sales of diesel cars, which fell in popularity by 37.2 per cent last month, is said to be behind the job losses. Around half a million cars are produced by Nissan at Sunderland each year, with an estimated 25 per cent being diesel.

A Nissan spokesman told the Financial Times: “As previously communicated, we are transitioning to a new range of powertrains over the next year. 

“As we make the operational changes required to support this, we will be managing a planned short-term reduction in powertrain supply and plant volumes at NMUK [Nissan Motor Manufacturing UK] in line with our 2018 business plan. We are now discussing these operational changes with our employees.”

The spokesman categorically stated that the job losses were unconnected to the UK’s forthcoming exit from the European Union, indicating that employee numbers should rise again in the future: “This is not related to Brexit. In time we expect volumes to increase as we prepare to launch the next generation Juke, Qashqai and X-Trail, all being built at NMUK.”

Nissan's announcement follows similar news from Jaguar Land Rover, which recently confirmed 1,000 agency workers at its Solihull plant were to lose their jobs in light of: "continuing headwinds impacting the car industry".

What do you think of the news from Nissan Sunderland? Let us know in the comments...

Recommended

Best new cars coming in 2025 and beyond
Best new cars coming in 2025 - header image
Best cars & vans

Best new cars coming in 2025 and beyond

From electric cars to supercars, this is our list of all the best new cars coming in 2025 and beyond
8 Dec 2023
£3bn for Nissan Sunderland to build all-electric Juke, Qashqai and next-generation Leaf
Nissan Sunderland
News

£3bn for Nissan Sunderland to build all-electric Juke, Qashqai and next-generation Leaf

The UK’s largest car plant will receive huge investment to build Nissan’s next generation of EVs
24 Nov 2023
New Nissan Hyper Force Concept unveiled: is the GT-R going electric?
Nissan Hyper Force Concept - front static
News

New Nissan Hyper Force Concept unveiled: is the GT-R going electric?

The final of Nissan’s five Tokyo Motor Show concept cars is a 1,341bhp electric supercar with solid-state battery technology
25 Oct 2023
The new Nissan Hyper Punk is a concept car for influencers 
Nissan Hyper Punk – front
News

The new Nissan Hyper Punk is a concept car for influencers 

Nissan says the Hyper Punk offers seamless connectivity between the ‘virtual and physical’ world 
19 Oct 2023

Most Popular

New Nissan Qashqai to get radical look and all-electric power
Nissan Qashqai exclusive image - front
News

New Nissan Qashqai to get radical look and all-electric power

Major investment in Nissan’s Sunderland plant underpins the new fourth-generation Qashqai
8 Dec 2023
New Omoda 5 to take on the Nissan Qashqai and Hyundai Tucson when it arrives in early 2024
Omoda 5 - front
News

New Omoda 5 to take on the Nissan Qashqai and Hyundai Tucson when it arrives in early 2024

The new Omoda 5 SUV will only be available with an all-electric powertrain when it hits the UK next spring, but a hybrid option is expected later
8 Dec 2023
Polestar 4 awarded Car Design of the Year by Car Design News
Polestar 4 - front studio
News

Polestar 4 awarded Car Design of the Year by Car Design News

Car design’s most auspicious peer-awarded prize goes to Polestar 4, while Dacia Manifesto wins Concept Design of the Year
7 Dec 2023