New Nissan Plant Set to Build Five Models

Nissan constructed a new $1.4 billion plant in Canton, Miss., to build its new Quest minivan along with its Titan King and Crew Cab pickups, Armada Pathfinder SUV, yet-to-be named Infiniti full size SUV and Altima sedan.

The Quest is checked in the pre-delivery area.

A worker secures a seat belt holder.

Canton workers train at an engine work station.

Nissan President and Chief Executive Carlos Ghosn has said Mississippi was chosen because strong governmental support, room for expansion and a strong motivated workforce. Low labor costs and a union-free labor pool were also undoubtedly factored into the decision.

The 3.5-million square-foot plant will use Nissan’s existing Smryna, Tenn., plant as an example. The plant was actually “designed to emulate Smryna,” says Ghosn.

In fact, Nissan hopes to achieve the same high productivity and quality as Smryna in Canton, says Dan Gaudette, senior vice president, U.S. manufacturing. His goal is to see the two plants tied as the most productive plants in the U.S.

During the next three years the industry will see an “amicable but healthy competition” from the two plants, Gaudette says.

Smryna has a 450,000-unit capacity but is building 500,000-units and Nissan recently announced an expansion that will take it to 550,000 vehicles. Canton also will follow that lead. The plant has a 400,000 unit capacity and will eventually build more than that, Nissan says.

“We’re never satisfied with what we designed for capacity,” says Emil Hassan, senior vice president, North American Manufacturing, purchasing, quality and logistics.

Add in Mexico production and Nissan will be building 1.3 million units in North America. The plant utilizes integrated manufacturing, Hassan says. Suppliers have built plants around Nissan’s and are connected by conveyor to the Quest plant. Others actually work within the plant.

They build 27 integral components and modules that are delivered on time and in sequence to the plant.

“That’s the most aggressive step,” Hassan says.

There are other suppliers within a three mile radius and still others located further in the state, Hassan says.

Adding to the complexity, Canton will building both body-on-frame and unibody vehicles. Helping to sort out the intricacy, the plant is highly automated with 853 robots and 70 laser vision stations.

Plant Facts
Capital investment:	$1.43 billion
Production capacity:	400,000 vehicles each year
Key dates:	Nov. 9, 2000	Nissan announces its plan to build a plant in Canton, Miss.
	April 6, 2001	Nissan begins construction.
	May 27, 2002	Job 1 for Quest minivan — the plant’s first vehicle
Employment:	2,000 at Job 1 5,300 by mid-2004
Products:	Nissan Quest minivan	starting May 27, 2003
	Nissan Pathfinder Armada	fall 2003
	Nissan Titan	fall 2003
	Infiniti full-size SUV	early 2004
	Nissan Altima	spring 2004
Suppliers:	PPG, Tower, JCI, Dana

Canton Suppliers
CalsonicKansei North America	frontend modules, exhaust systems, catalytic converters and A/C plumbing
Johnson Controls	seats
Mi-Tech Steel	process coiled steel
Systems Electro-Coating LLC.	a joint venture between PPG Industries and Jackson-based Systems Consultants Associates Inc., applies an anti-corrosion electrodeposition primer to sheet-metal components and parts.
PPG	coatings
T&WA	tire and wheel assemblies
Tower Automotive	vehicle frames
Visteon and Lextron JV	front-end modules and cockpit modules
M-TEK Inc.	interior trim components including door trim, roof trim, body side trim, garnish moldings and dash insulators
TKA Fabco	body stampings and assemblies
Unipres U.S.A. Inc.	supply body stampings
Yorozu Automotive	suspension components
AP Technoglass	glass assemblies
Carlex Glass	glass assemblies
Douglas Autotech	steering columns
Nissan Trading	fasteners
Yazaki North America	wire harnesses