3 weeks ago
Nissan is planning to axe almost 20,000 jobs as part of a major cost-cutting exercise, according to reports.
The Japanese brand announced last year that it was restructuring its global workforce amid a need to tighten its belt following slow sales.
Back in November, the company said it was aiming to cut around 9,000 positions worldwide but that plans have now been sharply ratcheted up.
Yesterday (May 12), broadcaster NHK reported in Nissan’s native Japan that an additional 11,000 jobs would be lost, taking the total to around 20,000.
It is currently unclear where the jobs will be lost but the cutbacks are expected to impact roughly 15% of the company’s entire workforce – around 6,000 of which currently work at its UK plant in Sunderland.
Last month, Alan Johnson, senior vice president for manufacturing for Nissan’s Africa, Middle East, India, Europe and Oceania operation, cautioned that the UK was ‘not a competitive place’ to build cars as he called for Government support.
Nissan is also seeking to reduce its production capacity by 20% after two recent profit downgrades.
The firm has been impacted by stalling sales in China and the US, which were not helped by President Donald Trump’s plans to hike tariffs on cars imported to the US to 25%.
The vast majority of cars made in the UK will be subject to a 10% tariff after the UK-US trade deal agreed last week.
Nissan declined to comment on the reports.
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The post Nissan plots major job losses with 20,000 roles set to be cut around the world – reports appeared first on Car Dealer Magazine.
