Nissan to Restart Sunderland Car Plant Production in June
Nissan will not restart production at its Sunderland plant until June, the car giant confirmed this morning. Production at the site has been suspended since March 17 as a result of the coronavirus crisis.
Last week Nissan said it was trialling a small-scale return to production while most staff remained on furlough but did not then give a date for full production to return.
But today the company said: “We are currently planning a phased resumption of production in early June.
“During this period the majority of plant employees will remain furloughed, and we are grateful for the government support that has enabled us to take this action.
“Our goal is to navigate through this crisis while maintaining activities critical for business continuity and to make sure we are prepared for the time when business resumes in Europe and we can welcome the Nissan team back to work.”
Announcing its production trial last month, which involved around 50 of the plant’s 6,000-strong workforce, Nissan said: “In Sunderland, the new safety protocols will be implemented in a pilot activity involving the Powertrain team which will begin this week, in accordance with public health advice and supported by employee representatives.
“Regular reviews will take place throughout each phase of this pilot, taking into account the feedback from the teams involved. This will inform the return to work protocols for the rest of the factory in the coming weeks. ”