Nissan: No Short-Term Impact on U.S. Inventory Following Earthquake

QUINCY, Mass., March 22 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Amid the widespread devastation from the 9.0-magnitude earthquake that rocked Japan, Nissan Americas has confirmed the safety of its employees and their families that were working or traveling in the country. Quirk Nissan, a Greater Boston Nissan dealer, applauds Nissan for focusing on employee safety while limiting the disaster’s impact on vehicle availability for customers in the United States.

While several Nissan plants suffered partial damage due to the earthquake, the automaker resumed production at six of its nine locations by March 20. In a statement, Nissan said that the plants will continue to run as long as parts are available, hinting at possible disruptions in the near future. Two Nissan facilities that manufacture transmissions are offline while the company assesses damage to the buildings, and an engine plant in northern Japan has seen repair efforts slowed by aftershocks from the March 11 earthquake.

“We are relieved to hear that the members of our extended Nissan family are safe and in many cases back home, and our deepest sympathy goes out to those who have lost their homes or loved ones,” said Paul Butts, general manager at Quirk Nissan. “Nissan is proving that its company is as resilient as the vehicles it produces, and we expect vehicle production to emerge stronger than ever.”

Nearly 70% of Nissan vehicles sold in the Americas are produced at North American manufacturing facilities that were not impacted by the earthquake. Each domestic plant has approximately a 50-day supply of vehicle parts in stock or in transit, so Nissan does not expect any impact on vehicle availability at U.S. Nissan dealers for the next two months.

While the new all-electric Nissan Leaf is currently manufactured solely in Japan, a shipment of 600 vehicles left Japan for the United States the day before the earthquake and is expected to arrive on schedule. Nissan is still determining if there will be any delays of Nissan Leaf shipments in the future.

“Employee safety has rightfully remained the top priority, but Nissan has also done an amazing job keeping a good portion of its operations running so that we can continue to provide our customers with the vehicles they desire,” Butts added. “We plan on working closely with both Nissan and our customers to manage any inventory delays that may eventually result from the earthquake.”

Nissan Americas has already donated $500,000 to the American Red Cross to assist its relief efforts in Japan. The company will also match any donations made by its employees, dealers, retirees and suppliers, up to an additional $500,000. Nissan’s global contributions will total more than $3.75 million after all corporate donations, gift matches and donation of 50 vehicles to support aid agencies in Japan are included.

For those outside of the company who wish to help, Quirk Nissan is encouraging its customers, Facebook fans and the general public to contribute what they can to the Japan relief effort at www.redcross.org.

About Quirk Nissan:
Quirk Nissan, the premier Greater Boston Nissan dealer, is focused on providing superior value and service in every aspect of the automobile purchase and ownership experience. Quirk Nissan offers a full line of new Nissan vehicles, as well as an extensive selection of pre-owned cars, SUVs and trucks, and is known for the honesty and integrity of its sales, service and parts staff. For more information, call 877-647-7861, visit their website at www.quirknissan.com, like them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/QuirkCars or stop by their dealership at 600 Southern Artery, Quincy, MA.

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