Struggling car manufacturer Nissan is set to cut around 250 staff at its Sunderland factory after making a £3.5 billion global loss last year.
The Japanese firm said the move would support its plans to become a ‘leaner’ and ‘more resilient’ business.
The lay offs will only apply to shop floor and office staff – not those working in manufacturing – and will be part of a ‘voluntary departure scheme’.
In May Nissan announced it had made huge losses in the 2024/25 financial year, after demand fell in its two largest markets, the US and China.
At the same time, new chief executive Ivan Espinosa announced a £1.3bn ‘Re:Nissan action-based recovery plan’, which included the closure of seven factories.
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The Tyne and Wear factory, which employs 6,000 staff, was saved amid plans to make the new version ofNissan’s electric vehicles LEAF and Juke there as well as the new e-POWER system for Qashqai.
At a conference last month, Mr Espinosa said: ‘In Europe, we will strengthen our presence by assembling more electric models in Sunderland.’
The UK government recently backed Nissan with a £1bn loan to help protect the Sunderland factory, which opened in 1984.
Nissan hopes to raise £5.2billion to keep the company viable.
Speaking about the job losses at Sunderland, a Nissan spokesperson told Metro: ‘Our Sunderland plant remains at the forefront of our electrification strategy, with the new LEAF coming later this year, a new EV Juke arriving next year and our new e-POWER system coming to Qashqai soon.
‘In order to support future competitiveness, this week we are beginning discussions with some of our team in Sunderland about the opportunity to voluntarily leave Nissan, with support from the company.
‘This will support the plant’s efficiency as we aim to become a leaner, more resilient business.’
The new LEAF is expected to cost from around £30,000.
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