Sunderland - Automotive City
Sunderland has become one of the fastest growing automotive cities in
the UK. Since the arrival of Nissan in 1984 and the inflow of component
suppliers, more than 10,000 jobs have been created in the city.
Nissan manufactures the Micra, Micra C+C, Note and Primera models with the
Qashqai due to start production in 2007. The company employs more than 4,500
people producing 330,000 units annually. Since 1996 it has also been the most
productive car plant in Europe. More than 20 component manufacturers
have located in Sunderland supplying not only Nissan but other plants worldwide
including Ford, Vauxhall, Peugeot, Toyota, Honda, VW, Seat and Opel.
These include TRW, part of the Blackstone Group which has three plants
in the city, Johnson Controls, Magna Kansei and Faurecia. They have been
joined recently by Karmann, Lear-Tacle and Valeo.
Large and thriving city
Sunderland is a large and thriving city and its workforce, academic institutions and
local council are committed to supporting the sector and helping to ensure business
growth.
The City Council has established the International Automotive Conference
as an important event in the automotive calendar. Designed to address issues
facing the industry globally, the conference attracts speakers and delegates
from all over the world. The city is also committed to ensuring that a skilled
workforce is available to companies locating in the area.
The University of Sunderland launched the UK's first automotive design degree,
in 1993, and today it offers a BEng in Automotive Engineering with Design
and a BSc in Automotive Product Development. It has also developed
the Institute for Automotive Advanced Practice (AMAP), providing project
consultancy, education and training and research.
The City Council's award-winning
Business Investment Team has played a
vital role in the growth of Sunderland's
automotive sector. The team is
committed to delivering an enthusiastic,
and efficient service to inward investors
providing help with:
• Availability of land and of premises
• Financial incentives available from the
City Council and other sources
• Contacts at companies already located
in the city
• Labour availability and cost
• Communication links - road, rail, air,
sea, telecommunications
• Quality of life in the city - house prices,
leisure, education and health care.
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