SMYRNA, Tenn. (WKRN) — Nissan’s Smyrna plant continues to bring billions of dollars in economic impact to the town and the rest of Middle Tennessee.
The plant has helped thousands of people not only make a living, but opened businesses to support the plant.
Nissan invested $330 million at the Smyrna plant, creating 2,000 new jobs. Currently, the investment has surpassed $8 billion and 5,700 jobs.
Many call Nissan the economic engine of Smyrna and much of Middle Tennessee.
“Fast forward 43 years, Smyrna is a thriving large community, and Nissan was the economic engine that really put it on the map,” said David Johnson, regional senior vice president for Nissan America.
In fact, the Smyrna location is one of the largest manufacturing plants in North America. The Murano, Pathfinder and Infiniti QX-60 are all made at the plant and shipped globally.
For every employee that works at the Smyrna plant, the National Association of Manufactures says an average 2.79 jobs are created in other sectors. This mean with 5,700 employees calling Nissan Smyrna their employer, 15,903 jobs outside of the plant are created.
“Just to be able to support the people that are employed here and that doesn’t even count the suppliers that locate closed to this facility to supply the parts and good that we need to make cars every day,” expressed Johnson. “That’s an additional six to seven jobs, so as this plant came in, a community came around it.”
Johnson told News 2 that he began working in the plant’s paint department 23 years ago. Since then, he has worked his way to regional senior vice president.
According to Johnson, the plant has never had layoffs, but current market conditions are causing some changes in staffing.
“Right now the market is challenging. And in Smyrna, as well as our Canton, Mississippi plant, we are eliminating one shift so we can respond to the market conditions and ensure we are delivering the right product to our customers,” Johnson explained.
The U.S. Census’ last population report showed that the town of Smyrna had a population of 57,418 people.
While Nissan employees live throughout Middle Tennessee, the plant and it’s effect on the economy account for about 38% of Smyrna’s population.
Johnson added that Nissan plans to continue investing in Smyrna, participating in community initiatives to help the generation of Nissan talent.
“We’ve launched a really unique program called the Centers of Excellence, this is in partnership with TCAT in Shelbyville and TCAT in McMinnville,” he explained. “We are in four high schools right now, and most importantly, with the instructors being Nissan technicians. They’re in there working with students teaching them about the aspects of manufacturing, starting with safety, equipment, hands on experiences and really developing their skills.”
The Middle Tennessee location will remain one of Nissan’s largest factories in the world.
