COVID-19: Nissan announces closure of Barcelona plant: 3,000 employees
Madrid
May 29, 2020
Nissan Motor:
On May 28, it announced that it will be preparing for the closing of its Barcelona plant in Spain at the end of 2020.
2019 financial results announcement:
Nissan explained that it is a management restructuring measure “a part of the production capacity reduction shown in the business structural reform plan”.
Management restructuring measures:
UK: plan to maintain operations at our UK base that produces crossover SUVs.
Spain: Barcelona factory
Nissan acquired Barcelona / Motor Iberica in 1983 and has been manufacturing vehicles for nearly 40 years.
An export base for Europe, centered on light commercial vehicles / pickup trucks.
Annual production volume is 80,000 to 100,000,
In 2019, production volume will decrease to 60,000,
In addition, the factory utilization rate is already 25% or less from before the new Corona,
Production was scheduled to resume on May 4.
However, the labor union has entered an indefinite strike and production is still stopped.
Labor union: Worried about maintaining employment
The target of closure is “3 sites including Barcelona factory / prefecture parts factory, total number of employees is 3,000”
Unions have called for closure and withdrawal, saying “nearly 25,000 jobs will be lost.”
Spanish government officials:
On May 28, a government official said, “The cost of closing the factory exceeds 1 billion euros, and it is better to continue operation.”
Reyes Maroto: Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism
The process to closure takes a long time.
Request Nissan to formulate a plan for maintaining employment after withdrawal.
-JETRO
https://www.jetro.go.jp/biznews/2020/05/5bf8f1ed8c778fa8.html