An increase in the number of workers at Nissan's Sunderland factory could help to boost employment across every stage of the firm's supply chain, the company believes.
A total of 400 new fixed-term manufacturing posts will be created at the factory, as a new shift is introduced in order to meet growing demand for the company's cars.
Trevor Mann, senior vice-president for manufacturing in Europe at Nissan, said that despite a generally depressed market, demand for the Qashqai continues to grow, allowing for a high production target in the first half of the year.
Besides the 400 new fixed-term jobs, 160 existing temporary staff will be retained at the factory, while other posts across the supply chain could be created.
Nissan's Sunderland plant has been operational since 2004 and is the country's largest car producer. It employs around 4,000 staff and makes approximately 80 per cent of all Nissan cars sold in the UK.
