Nissan’s Investment in the Northeast of England

Abstract

On 30 March 1984 the Nissan Motor Company announced its decision to build an independent manufacturing operation on the site of the old Sunderland Airport in the Northeast of England, adjacent to Washington New Town. In contrast to the US, where Toyota was the fifth of six Japanese automakers to set up independent manufacturing operations, Nissan was the first to do so in the UK (and Europe). Spread across three years, Nissan’s UK investment decision was a response to market attractiveness and protectionism, but also had significant political dimensions at the subnational and national level as well as within the company itself.