Global automatic transmission manufacturer JATCO has opened a new UK factory, creating a possible 183 jobs. Located on Sunderland’s International Advanced Manufacturing Park, the factory will produce electric powertrains for the nearby Nissan plant.
Initially, this will be the 3-in-1, which integrates the motor, inverter and reducer, making them smaller and lighter. The facility spans 138,840ft2 and represents a £48.7m investment into the UK.
JATCO, headquartered in Japan, has supplied over 129 million automatic transmissions to the automotive market since 1970. The company has held the top share in CVTs since 2008 and hopes to reach a production capacity of 340,000 units from the new plant.
JATCO is beginning preparations to fit out a new unit with grade A office space at International Drive in Washington – to enable its new business division, JATCO UK, to begin supplying to Nissan Motor Manufacturing UK (NMUK). Localization to NMUK models will begin in 2026, when the facility is scheduled for completion. The new facility has been supported by a grant from the UK government.
Tomoyoshi Sato, JATCO’s CEO, said, “I am so proud to officially open JATCO UK in the Northeast of England. We have enjoyed a long and fruitful partnership with Nissan and we are delighted to bring the manufacture of our 3-in-1 powertrain to the UK. This will be our fourth country for an overseas production plant, with other locations in Mexico, China and Thailand.”
Minister for investment, Baroness Gustafsson OBE, welcomed the news, saying it would bolster the UK’s automotive industry and support economic growth, an integral part of the government’s Plan for Change.
JATCO joins a cluster of automotive and advanced manufacturing businesses located at IAMP, which is being delivered by Sunderland City Council – working with neighboring authority South Tyneside Council – to create thousands of jobs and attract inward investment.