- It only took four years for Nissan to export another million units.
- This was accomplished in its 50th anniversary year.
Yesterday, Nissan Mexicana celebrated the export of its 3 millionth unit. A silver-colored Nissan Sentra SL 2012, was the car that was distinguished with this award. The final destination for this unit is the United States, Nissan Mexicana’s main exports market.
This is a significant milestone in Nissan’s history. In order to export the first millionth unit, the company took 30 years to accomplish it (in 2002); it only required five years to export its second millionth (2007), though, and this third millionth was achieved in less than four years.
This shows Nissan’s accelerated manufacturing growth rate in Mexico, which has become a major export source for the whole Americas region.
Nissan Mexicana started sending shipments abroad in 1972, when it would send the 620 Pick Up to some countries in Latin America. In 1992, it started exporting Nissan Tsuru to Canada, and it initiated exports to the United States with Sentra in 1995.
The historical 3 millionth Sentra was shipped on board of the Bishu Highway, which set sail towards two destinies in the United States: the port of Baltimore, Maryland, where our awarded unit will arrive along with other 950 units, and Jacksonville, Florida, where other 350 units will be delivered for a total of 1,300 vehicles on board of this vessel.
The ceremony, held at the port of Veracruz, was attended by major government representatives, as well as by high Nissan Mexicana executives such as José Muñoz, President and General Manager, Armando Ávila, Manufacturing Vice president, and Kenneth Ramirez, Nissan Latin America and the Caribbean Director.
In addition, the ceremony was also attended by business partners, port authorities and the media to witness the 3 millionth unit’s departure.
This milestone was achieved during Nissan’s 50th anniversary year in the country, where the manufacturing operations reflect intense demand for Mexican products in overseas markets.
Production for the overseas market alone grew by 13% from January to May, by producing 151,452 units for such market, where both versions of Tiida/Versa (74,214 u.), Sentra (61.838 u.) and the NP300 (10,834 u.) light commercial vehicles stand out, among others. A great deal of this production will be destined to North America, where Sentra has kept a good sales pace within the market.
Similarly, in the January-May accumulated report, total production (domestic plus overseas) recorded a 21.3% increase over the year-ago period with 230,693 manufactured units.
By the end of the 2010 fiscal year, ended last March, Nissan Mexicana registered an increase of 41.6% in its exports over the 2009 fiscal year, with 427,625 units sent overseas.
The exports plan for the whole Americas region during this 2011 fiscal year aims at 395,510 units, with a shipments pace of 11 vessels to 25 countries a month. It is worth pointing out that Nissan Mexicana currently exports vehicles to over 90 countries across all five continents.
Currently, Nissan Mexicana ships Sentra, Tiida Sedan and Hatchback, the NP300 Pick Up, Frontier XE and LE, as well as Tsuru to several destinations.
“Thanks to the excellent quality of the products we make in Nissan Mexicana, our competitive costs and Mexico´s excellent geographical location, we are able to manufacture vehicles such as Sentra, Tiida or Tsuru in Mexico for the Americas region, and in these three cases we can do it in an exclusive manner. We expect to top the 600,000 manufactured units mark this year, which 70% is expected to be destined for the exports market,” said Jose Muñoz, President and General Manager of Nissan Mexicana.
This 3 millionth exported unit shows Nissan’s strong commitment to product quality and total customer satisfaction, regardless of the marketplace. Today, we are celebrating a historical event with this unit that symbolizes Nissan’s employees teamwork, our improvement efforts, commitment and ambition to manufacture products with world class quality. We know that products made in Mexico are the best and win markets,” mentioned Armando Avila, Nissan Mexicana’s Manufacturing Vice president.
Furthermore, Kenneth Ramirez, Nissan Latin America and the Caribbean Director, mentioned that: “The increase in the number of international markets where Nissan Mexicana exports its products reflects the demand for quality products that meet the needs and expectations of our most demanding customers. As the director of the Latin America and Caribbean region, I commit to keep driving the sales of our products in the countries within the region and to develop this position of major importance for the company.”
About Nissan Mexicana
Nissan Mexicana, S.A. de C.V., is a subsidiary of Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., and was established in Mexico in 1961. It has corporate, marketing, sales, manufacturing, distribution and design facilities in the cities of Aguascalientes, Mexico City, Cuernavaca and Toluca. In 2011, it will have turned 50 years in Mexico and is the proud sponsor of the XVI Pan-American Games to be held in Guadalajara in 2011. It currently employs over 9,900 employees. In 2010, it marketed 189,518 vehicles with a 23.1% market share (2.4 percentage points more than in 2009), and it manufactured 506,490 units both for the domestic and the exports market. So far, in the January to May 2011 period, it has marketed 83,565 vehicles with a 24.2% market share and it has produced 230,693 units. Nissan is focused on improving the environment through Nissan’s Green Program 2010 whose goals are the reduction of CO2 emissions and recycling increase. Likewise, the ANDANAC/Nissan Foundation is managing a Social Support Fund for the construction of public elementary schools: in an eight-year span, 63 schools have been equipped for the benefit of over 30,000 children in marginalized communities across the Republic.
About Nissan Motor Co.
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., is the second largest Japanese automotive company in terms of volume with headquarters in Yokohama, Japan, and it is the corner stone of the Renault-Nissan Alliance. With over 150,000 employees worldwide, Nissan offered its clients more than four million vehicles in 2010. With a strong commitment towards developing exciting and innovative products for everyone, Nissan offers a wide range of fuel-efficient, low-emission vehicles through its Nissan and Infiniti brands. Pioneer in zero emissions, Nissan made has gone down in history by launching Nissan LEAF, the first and affordable 100% electrical vehicle; a mass production vehicle winner of a number of international awards, including the prestigious award to the best European vehicle in 2011.
For further information on our products and services and our sustainable mobility commitment, visit our website at: http://www.nissan-global.com/EN/.
Contact:
Corporate Communications
Nissan Mexicana
comunicacioncorporativa@nissan.com.mx