Reuters (Detroit) - Nissan Motor Co Ltd said it will build a $2 billion plant in Mexico to boost sales in the Americas region.
Nissan said the new plant in Aguascalientes is scheduled to begin operations in late 2013 and would support annual production of up to 175,000 of 'B' platform vehicles, which include the Versa hatchback and the Juke small crossover vehicle.
"Mexico is a key engine for Nissan's growth in the Americas," Nissan Chief Executive Carlos Ghosn said in a statement.
"Together with our new plant in Brazil, this new manufacturing facility in Aguascalientes is an important pillar in our strategy to ensure that Nissan has the capacity it needs to increase sales volume and market share across the Americas," he added.
The Japanese automaker said it would consider expansion of the new plant once product and capacity needs are finalized. It would also build an all-new supplier park on the site.
Up to 3,000 direct jobs will be created initially at the new plant, and about 9,000 positions will be generated within the supply chain and wider community, taking Nissan's total headcount in Mexico to nearly 13,500.
Last year, Nissan built more than 600,000 vehicles at its Mexican plants, one near Mexico City and a second in Aguascalientes. Nissan said its 2011 sales in North and South America rose 17 percent to more than 1.56 million vehicles and its market share in the region rose to 7.5 percent from 7 percent in 2010.
The first phase of development for the new plant will include installation of body, trim and chassis and paint manufacturing capability as well as associated parts warehousing and logistics operations, Nissan said. An on-site test track also will be built.
