Nissan Cuts 900 Jobs as It Scales Back UK Production

Recovery Pains

On the one hand, Nissan's outlook appears more positive. There's a slew of all-new models coming in, and the company is doing all it can to regain its mojo. It's safe to say that the U.S market is very excited for the return of the Xterra and several more truck-based models. Over in Japan, the reboot of the Skyline is still stirring up a good amount of buzz. Let's not forget the all-new Rogue that's already been revealed, and Europe can look forward to the redesigned Juke.

But with recovery comes pain and sacrifices, and Nissan isn't spared from that. The company had previously announced job cuts and cost-saving measures, and it has reached a point where it has sold and leased its global headquarters in Yokohama. While its future does look brighter than it did a year or two before, Nissan still has to tighten its belt to invest in the future.

Streamlining European Operations

As reported by Reuters, Nissan is trimming its operations in Europe. It's part of the company's restructuring efforts that kicked off in late 2024. In this case, the Sunderland assembly plant in England will be consolidated from two lines to just one, and about 900 jobs across the continent will be slashed.

Per a company statement, "We have been taking decisive actions to ⁠enhance performance and create a leaner, more resilient business that adapts quickly to market changes." The Sunderland plant currently builds the Qashqai, Juke, and Leaf for the European market, and is Nissan's sole production facility on the continent. There are, however, parts manufacturing plants in Spain.

As for layoffs, there will be none for plant personnel. Reuters reports that the cuts will be for 'white-collar and warehouse roles.' The news agency mentions that about 500 of the redundancies will be in the Spanish operations.

Talks with China's Chery

Nissan has been in talks with Chinese automaker Chery regarding manufacturing. Earlier this year, Nissan agreed to sell its manufacturing facility in South Africa to Chery. Chery also acquired another former Nissan vehicle assembly plant in Spain to circumvent tariffs being imposed on imports and establish a greater presence in Europe.

More recently, there has also been the possibility of a partnership between the Chinese company and the Japanese to maximize the use of the Sunderland plant. That said, nothing has been set in stone just yet, and The Financial Times said that Nissan is open to other car companies using its second assembly line in England.

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This story was originally published May 6, 2026 at 5:30 AM.