By Mauro Orru
Nissan Motor plans to slash hundreds of jobs in Europe and overhaul its operations in the region, part of efforts from the Japanese carmaker to cut costs in a highly competitive market.
A spokesperson said the group was considering the elimination of 900 roles in Europe--about 10% of its local workforce--the partial closure of its Barcelona warehouse in Spain, moving to an importer model for its Nordic markets and combining two production lines into one at its Sunderland plant in the U.K.
"We have been taking decisive actions to enhance performance and create a leaner, more resilient business that adapts quickly to market changes. As part of this approach, today we have opened discussions with our European employees with a view to simplifying our structures, reducing complexity, and ensuring we operate in a sustainable and profitable way," the spokesperson said.
Nissan is grappling with a slide in global sales amid fierce competition from Chinese rivals and President Trump's tariffs. The automaker embarked on a series of steps in recent months aimed at reviving its fortunes, pledging to cut 20,000 jobs through March 2028, reduce annual global production capacity and lower its number of manufacturing sites.
Nissan employs more than 6,000 people in Sunderland, where it produces vehicles including the Qashqai and LEAF models, according to the company's website. "We will consolidate production from two lines to one at our Sunderland plant as we assess future opportunities to secure full plant utilization," the spokesperson said.
The decision to overhaul its European operations comes a week after Nissan said it expects a narrower net loss for the fiscal year to the end of March 2026. Chief Executive Ivan Espinosa had said in February that restructuring-related noncash charges were set to hit the company's bottom line.
Nissan is set to publish full-year results on May 13.
Write to Mauro Orru at mauro.orru@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
May 05, 2026 12:37 ET (16:37 GMT)
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