Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam and Economic and Community Development Commissioner Randy Boyd along with Nissan North America officials announced today the company will invest $160 million to build a new supplier park at their Smyrna vehicle assembly plant. The project will support more than 1,000 newly created supplier jobs.
Nissan’s Smyrna plant has been noted as being the most productive automotive manufacturing plant in North America as it produces almost 650,000 vehicles each year including the Maxima, Rogue and Altima.
“Nissan and Tennessee have enjoyed a long and successful partnership, and today’s announcement is another significant milestone in our history together,” Haslam said. “The success of Tennessee’s automotive industry brings with it growth in supplier networks, and we want to thank Nissan for this new investment in Smyrna and our state.”
“This new investment in Smyrna represents another long-term commitment to the success of Nissan’s plant and boosts Tennessee’s overall global reputation as a top automotive manufacturer,” Boyd said. “Not only is Nissan investing in Tennessee by expanding its physical footprint in Smyrna, they are also investing in developing a strong workforce through their manufacturing training center, a big step toward sustaining future automotive demands. Nissan is a valuable part of Tennessee’s past and continues to write itself into our history. I appreciate the new jobs this facility will support and look forward to continued future growth.”
“Today marks an exciting new chapter in our more than 31-year partnership with the State of Tennessee as we continue our localization and investment efforts in the United States,” José Muñoz, Executive Vice President, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. and Chairman, Management Committee, Nissan North America, Inc. said, “This project is a key component to the long-term sustainability of our U.S. business as we close in on a goal of 10 percent U.S. market share.”
Current plans for the project call for construction of an integrated logistics center that will be located on Nissan’s Smyrna campus and is more than 1.5 million square feet in size. The integrated logistics center will serve as an immediate space for suppliers and be used for multiple purposes supporting operations including inbound production parts and outbound returnable containers. The project will be delivered in phases beginning in late-2016, with project completion expected in late-2017.
The project will provide essential space to support the on-site suppliers necessary for continued growth, while further supporting Nissan’s overall strategy to bring more production to the United States. By the end of 2015, 85 percent of Nissan vehicles sold in the U.S. will be built in North America.
“We congratulate Nissan on their decision to build a new supplier park in Smyrna,” Rutherford County Mayor Ernest Burgess said. “Nissan has had a huge positive presence within Rutherford County’s business landscape and we are excited to see them continue to prosper.”
“Nissan’s decision to add to their Smyrna campus is another example of the positive business environment in Smyrna,” Smyrna Mayor Mary Esther Reed said. “We congratulate them on adding to our workforce and wish them many more years of continued success.”
The Nissan Smyrna Plant began operations in 1983 and employs more than 8,400 people. In 2014, the Smyrna plant assembled more than 648,000 vehicles, making it the highest producing automotive assembly plant in North America. Production for the all-new 2016 Maxima, which was shown for the first time during Nissan’s recent Super Bowl ad, will begin in Smyrna later this year. Smyrna employees currently build the award-winning Altima, Maxima, all-electric LEAF, Rogue crossover, Pathfinder SUV and Infiniti QX60 luxury crossover.
Smyrna and Rutherford County are represented by Rep. Dawn White (R - Murfreesboro), Rep. Rick Womick (R - Rockvale), Rep. Bryan Terry (R - Murfreesboro), Rep. Mike Sparks (R - Smyrna), Sen. Bill Ketron (R - Murfreesboro) and Sen. Jim Tracy (R - Shelbyville) in the Tennessee General Assembly.
Senator Lamar Alexander said, “Nearly 30 years ago, there were almost no auto jobs in Tennessee. But thanks to our right-to-work law, our central location, Tennessee’s strong work force, and our first-rate, four-lane highway system, nearly one-third of our manufacturing jobs are now auto related. I congratulate Nissan and its Smyrna workforce for this great news.”