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Driving forward – car giant Nissan confirmed its new Qashqai hybrid model will be made at its Washington plant .
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Groundbreaking new Qashqai hybrid model WILL be made in Sunderland
Confirmation that Nissan will build its new Qashqai hybrid model in Sunderland has delivered a huge boost to the region ’ s motor manufacturing sector .
With Brexit taking place and all the uncertainty surrounding it , there had been understandable concerns about what the future might hold for the Wearside car plant - the biggest in Europe .
But news of the new model being made in Sunderland will not only help safeguard thousands of jobs but also give a well-timed vote of confidence in the region .
The Japanese automotive giant had only previously confirmed that the new electric model would be made in Europe .
The new hybrid e-POWER vehicle will use an electric motor drive and a petrol engine to charge a battery , forming part of Nissan ’ s NEXT transformation plan .
The Sunderland plant , which employs around 6,000 people and supports more than 20,000 through its supply chain , will build the hybrid , following a £ 400m investment made in the Qashqai , including the unveiling of a £ 52m XL press line earlier this year .
Nissan said the e-POWER model will be officially unveiled in the spring , and that prototypes of the all-new model are currently racking up the testing kilometres on European roads .
Gianluca de Ficchy , chairman of Nissan AMIEO region , said : “ The new Qashqai is going to change what customers can expect from a family car .
“ Comfort , refinement and technology will be from higher categories of car , while the driving experience will satisfy drivers and passengers alike .
“ With Nissan ’ s e-POWER technology , we feel customers will fall in love with the feeling of an electric powertrain , without the range concerns .”
More than a million of the current Qashqai , which went on-sale in Europe in 2014 , have now been sold .
The firm initially estimated there were in the region of 100,000 units per year in Europe but those estimates fell well short of the reality and within months , an additional shift was added in Sunderland to meet demand .
The new car – the third-generation of the crossover – will not generate any new jobs , but the production helps secure the future of the Washington plant .
Construction firm wins prestigious award
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Sunderland-based company involved in delivering some of the region ’ s most eye-catching buildings is celebrating being named the North-East ’ s construction industry ’ s SME of the Year .
Identity Consult , which supported the development of both The Beam and The Beacon of Light in Sunderland , won the title against stiff opposition in the prestigious Constructing Excellence In The North-East ( CENE ) Awards .
And managing director Mark Doherty believes that if there was one thing that caught the judges ' attention , it was Identity Consult ’ s decision to invest in staff
development at a time when many in the hardpressed construction industry were looking at cutting back .
Mark said : “ What underpinned our success more than anything this year was investment in people development .
“ That might have felt counterintuitive in an industry currently facing a challenging climate but it has been key to achieving our goals .”
FOUNDATION HELP The owner of a South Shields gym has had the weight taken off her shoulders after becoming the first beneficiary of a Covid recovery grant and mentoring package from Open North Foundation .
Queen Street Fitness , run for the past two years by Corrina Hills , successfully applied for £ 1,500 funding from the foundation , a not-for-profit business-led response to the Covid-19 pandemic . The cash will fund a marketing campaign for the independent gym .
KICKSTART FUNDING New government funding has been put up to help employers in the North-East create job placements for young people who might otherwise be at risk of long-term unemployment .
Applications are now open for the Kickstart Scheme , which offers employers of any size , and operating in any sector , funding to create new , six-month job placements for young people who are currently receiving Universal Credit .
Find out more at northeastlep . co . uk / kickstart .
REECE GROUP BOOST Reece Group has announced positive end-of-year results for 2019 , reflecting the company ’ s new contract wins , business growth and advances in product technology .
The North-East-based organisation , which employs over 350 staff across its Armstrong Works facility in Sunderland and Newcastle , has announced a collective turnover of £ 64.6m for the year ending December 2019 .
COFFEE AND CAKE A coffee and cake shop is on the right track with its new offering at Seaburn Metro Station .
The Train Line has opened its doors in the former Seaburn News unit and is already proving popular with its own brand coffees , colourful cakes , Americanbrand drinks and fudges .
It ’ s the brainchild of city businessman Christian Carney , who has already had success with his other shops , Fulwell Butchers in Sea Road and Grange Garden Centre in Thompson Road .
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