Nissan held a traditional Japanese ceremony in its Avila plant to launch the transformation that will make it the only plant in Europe specializing in the manufacture and distribution of spare parts for Renault and Nissan when it comes into operation in April 2020.

The Japanese Daruma ceremony represents effort, perseverance and tenacity in the achievement of goals. In this case the aim is to give new life and new purpose to a truck factory that started operations in 1957 and was acquired by the Japanese marque in 1987, rather than closing it as planned when production of the NT-400 truck comes to an end in September 2019.

Thanks to this transformation, Avila will remain on the Spanish map of manufacturers in the automotive sector. It will also assume a key role as the industrial hub of the partnership between Nissan and Renault in Castile-León, with a stable future.

80,000 parts a month
Work has already begun, with the demolition and preliminary earth movements on the sites where the new facilities are to be built. When it is fully operational, it will have a monthly production capacity of 80,000 spare parts for the different Renault and Nissan models in Europe.

There are currently already two projects to ensure that activities are not interrupted in this plant: paint application for Dacia models and door assembly for a Renault model. The start of the construction of the new stamping plant is scheduled for early next year, and it is due to come on line in the first quarter of 2020 before the plant officially opens its facilities.

At the presentation ceremony, José Vicente de los Mozos, worldwide executive vice president for Manufacturing and Logistics at Renault and executive vice president for the partnership between both brands, recalled: “One year ago we were considering closing industrial operations in Avila. Today we are presenting the next stage of the new industrial plan for Avila which will create a single manufacturing and distribution center for spare parts for our partnership in Europe. Thanks to the unfailing work of our Renault and Nissan teams, the goodwill of our employees and the staunch support of our partners, this plant has a stable future as part of an industrial hub for the alliance in Castile-León, with four plants and a team of over 12,000 people”.