Nissan can trace its roots all the way back to 1911 when the Kwaishinsha Automotive Company was formed to produce the first Datsun cars in Japan. This company was taken over in the early 30s and the Nissan Motor Company was registered.
As Nissan became more and more established as a global motor manufacturer, US production facilities commenced in 1980 and the UK plant opened in 1984. By the 1990s, Nissan was acknowledged as a world leader in technology with many of its international manufacturing facilities being the envy of its competitors.
But as the 1990s progressed, and motor industry expansion continued, it was soon obvious that global production overcapacity was becoming a reality and motor companies began to suffer, including Nissan. To ensure their survival into the new millennium many motor companies - including some old established names - were taken over and others formed international alliances.
In 1999, Nissan Motor Company formed a strategic alliance with France’s Renault group. The alliance between Nissan and Renault was a natural fit as the two companies were of similar size, the products fitted extremely well and their respective strengths were generally in different markets. The alliance created the fourth largest automobile company in the world. |
