| The Nissan North America Inc. said that 775 workers | | | | American Manufacturing and Supply Chain |
| at its vehicle and engine plants in Tennessee, which | | | | Management. “Each person is unique, but several |
| equates to around 12 percent of the factories' | | | | employees have already told us the program will |
| combined payroll, had accepted a company buyout | | | | allow them to return to school full-time, to start up |
| plan. Initially, Parent Nissan Motor Co. only expected | | | | businesses they have dreamed about or to start |
| about 300 of the 6,200 factory workers to take the | | | | enjoying their retirement. It was the right program at |
| buyouts but the real numbers astounded the | | | | the right time.” |
| automaker. | | | | Buyouts have been odd among Japanese car makers |
| Nissan said that 681 employees at its plant in Smyrna | | | | with U.S. factories. Nissan said that it wanted to trim |
| and 94 employees at Decherd decided to take | | | | the manufacturing payroll in Tennessee because sales |
| advantage of the offers. Retirements accounted for | | | | of labor-intensive light trucks built there were falling |
| 303 of the combined number. Employees were | | | | at the same time productivity had increased because |
| offered a $45,000 lump-sum payment plus $500 for | | | | of advances in manufacturing technology. |
| each year of service to walk away from their jobs. | | | | Nissan spokesman Fred Standish said the company |
| The buyout offers were not made available to | | | | does not have plans at this point to hire more |
| employees at other Nissan manufacturing locations in | | | | employees for the plants. "The total number is good |
| North America. | | | | for us," he said. "We can continue producing." |
| The automaker is currently in the process of swiftly | | | | Nissan Chief Executive Carlos Ghosn earlier noted a |
| cutting costs to concentrate more on some | | | | slump in U.S. sales, especially in sport utility vehicles |
| production concerns. The cost cutting goal resulted | | | | and pickup trucks. The automaker also expects a |
| to the relocation of its North American headquarters | | | | decline in sales this year after six strong years of |
| and 1,300 jobs from Gardena to Nashville in the | | | | consecutive yearly increases. |
| previous year. The Japanese automaker said it | | | | The automaker’s Smyrna facility, which is |
| offered the buyouts because of higher demand for | | | | located 25 miles southeast of Nashville, is its principal |
| passenger cars combined with lower demand for | | | | North American assembly plant. It holds a total of |
| trucks and sport utility vehicles. | | | | 5,200 employees. The engine plant in Decherd, with |
| “This program has resulted in tangible benefits | | | | 1,000 workers, is about 95 miles southeast of |
| for employees and the company,” said Dan | | | | Nashville. |
| Gaudette, the senior vice president of Nissan North | | | | |