Around 250 Nissan workers are set to be redeployed after the Japanese car maker Nissan announced plans to stop cylinder head production at its Sunderland plant.
Nissan said the move is expected in 2024 when the manufacturer's sole contract with Renault expires and will not be renewed. It brings an end to the part production at the site, where it has been made for 30 years.
The company said it does not expect any job losses, and that staff in the unit will be redeployed elsewhere. In a statement, the firm said: "From early 2024, Nissan Sunderland Plant will cease production of cylinder heads on site. We do not expect this to result in job losses, and are working with staff as we redeploy them to other parts of the business."
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Despite the companies assurances, Washington and Sunderland MP Sharon Hodgson expressed concerns. She said: "I have met with Nissan to discuss their announcement that they will be closing their casting operation at end of 2023, after their contract with Renault was not renewed.
"It is concerning that Nissan will be losing this operation, especially for the 250 workers, but Nissan have assured me that there will be no job losses as all staff will be redeployed within Nissan. I will also meet with Unite officials as soon as can be arranged."
The decision comes as Nissan prepares its North East plant for the production of two new eco-friendly versions of its popular crossover vehicles – the Juke and the new Qashqai. Amid increased focussed on electric vehicles, the manufacturer has recently created 300 new jobs.
It is part of Nissan's EV36Zero strategy which aims to de-carbonise manufacturing and accelerate zero-emission motoring. The strategy brings together a new battery plant and locally sourced green energy to power production - a blueprint the firm said it will expand into other markets around the world.
Nissan has said the plan would create more 1,600 jobs at Sunderland, along with a further 4,500 in the supply chain. Earlier this month, the firm said it had created a new "sustainable finance framework" it says will help it fund next-generation electrified vehicles, batteries, environmental technologies, and new mobility services.
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