Nic Smith, managing director of Commercial Maintenance Services UK Ltd (CMS), which has worked with Nissan for decades, has hailed the announcement over its £1bn Gigafactory as a “pivotal moment” in the revival of the North East’s economic fortunes.
Gateshead-headquartered CMS installs, maintains, and repairs heating, electrical and plumbing systems at the giant Sunderland plant – a contract that has earned it £1m over the past three years.
Nic Smith said: “We are just one example of the extensive supply chain here in the North East that supports Nissan and of the wider economic benefits that flow from its factory into the local economy.
“The announcement that it is creating a £1bn battery plant as well as launching a new electric vehicle model not only ensures that the UK is positioned as a leader in EV technology but represents a pivotal moment in the revival of the North East’s economic fortunes.
“Nissan will create thousands of jobs both directly and in the supply chain. This is a tremendous vote of confidence in the strength, capability, and ingenuity of that supply chain, and will resonate throughout the region.
“Our engineers visit Nissan on a regular basis to ensure its business-critical systems are operating correctly, which is crucial to ensure its cars continue rolling off the production line.
“We are proud of our long-term association with Nissan as a trusted supplier and hope that this latest announcement will strengthen this link and allow us to grow the business further.”
Nissan says its £1bn battery plant will allow it to increase production of electric vehicles, which will include a new model – with the capacity to power 100,000 vehicles per year.
Built in partnership with Chinese company Envision, which already produces lithium-ion batteries for the Leaf, the plant will create 900 direct jobs at Nissan and 750 at Envision. It is estimated that, taking the supply chain into account, the investment will create a total; of 6.200 jobs.
