F&I Management & Training

Lord Mandelson has toured the Nissan car plant during a visit to the north east of England Friday 20th March. The Business Secretary discussed the future of the motor industry with bosses at the factory, which announced in January it was axing 1,200 jobs. He saw a concept version of its newest model, the Qazana, due to go into production next year. The former Hartlepool MP also visited a printable electronics research centre at Sedgefield's hi-tech NETPark. In addition he went to Smith Electric, in Washington, which produces electric vans and trucks. The firm is collaborating with Ford on a battery-electric version of a Transit van. Survive and thrive Lord Mandelson described car manufacturers and their suppliers as the cornerstone of Britain's manufacturing. "It's very important to me and to the economy as a whole that they survive," he said. "And they will survive and they will thrive in the future as long as they make the right decisions now. "These are a combination of cutting back in response to their former over-production, and now the extreme loss of demand, but also making the right decisions to invest in future markets. "That's what I will be discussing with Nissan".

DATED: 21.03.09

FEED: AW