Nissan's Tennessee Plant Named Most Productive
15 July 1998
Nissan's Tennessee Plant Named Most Productive
SMYRNA, Tenn.--July 15, 1998--For the fifth year in a row, the Nissan plant in Smyrna, Tenn., is the most productive automotive assembly facility in North America.
In its annual study released today, The Harbour Report 1998 ranks Nissan Motor Manufacturing Corporation U.S.A. as the top plant in productivity in both the number of workers per vehicle and in the number of hours per vehicle.
"It's an amazing run," says James Harbour, co-author of the Report and chairman of Harbour and Associates, Inc., a manufacturing management consulting and automotive research firm. "Staying on top is extremely difficult when everyone's gunning for you."
Based on production levels in the fourth quarter of 1997, Nissan's Smyrna plant averages 2.29 workers per vehicle and 17.07 hours per vehicle overall. Specifically in truck and car production:
Nissan uses 2.4 employees per truck, ranking first, and requires 18.27 hours per truck, also the best in the industry.
With cars, Nissan uses 2.24 employees, second in North America behind Toyota's plant in Canada, and requires 16.55 hours, ranking first.
"I've always believed that our employees are the best in the industry, and this recognition is further proof of that," added Jerry Benefield, president and CEO of Nissan Motor Manufacturing Corporation U.S.A.
Nissan's productivity win comes just a month after the plant took home one of the highest quality awards in the industry. J.D. Power and Associates presented the Nissan Frontier truck the 1998 Initial Quality Study award for the fewest quality problems, in its segment, in the first 90 days of ownership. The Nissan Altima and the 200SX placed second in their segments.
Benefield concludes: "The Harbour Report and the J.D. Power award signify that Nissan and its employees are improving quality, lowering costs and making the most efficient use of resources.
"We're doing what we should be doing... and doing it well."
Nissan Motor Manufacturing Corporation U.S.A. represents an investment of nearly $1.5 billion at two Middle Tennessee plants. Its 6,300 employees manufacture Altima midsize sedans, Frontier pickup trucks and Sentra passenger cars; assemble engines, transaxles and rear axles; produce plastic bumper fascias and fuel tanks; and provide stampings and engines for the Nissan Quest and Mercury Villager minivans.