JATCO’s recent announcement of establishing JATCO UK in Sunderland is a significant vote of confidence in the North East’s automotive industry. This move not only strengthens the region’s position as a hub for automotive excellence but also promises to bring new opportunities and investment to the area.
JATCO, a global leader in automatic transmissions, has a long-standing relationship with the North East, primarily through its partnership with Nissan. The establishment of JATCO UK signals a deepening of this commitment and a strategic move to enhance its operational efficiency within the European market. By locating closer to its key customer, JATCO can streamline its supply chain, improve responsiveness, and foster closer collaboration.
The NEAA caught up with JATCO UK Plant Manager, Simon O’Donnell, to hear more about the company’s £48.7m investment into the UK and how it will support the automotive industry’s transition towards electrification.
Tell us more about JATCO globally and the products you manufacture?
Headquartered in Fuji, Shizuoka, Japan, JATCO is a leading automotive transmission and electric vehicle powertrain manufacturer, specialising in the design, development, and manufacture of automatic transmissions and CVTs. In addition to plants in Japan, JATCO has production facilities in Mexico, China, and Thailand. JATCO has supplied over 129 million automatic transmissions to the global automotive market since it was established. The launch of the Sunderland plant will mark JATCO’s fourth overseas production plant.
What will take place at the Sunderland plant and how will this impact the region?
Situated on the International Advanced Manufacturing Park, Sunderland, the factory will produce electrified powertrains for the nearby Nissan plant. Initially, this will be the 3-in-1, which modularises and integrates the motor, inverter and reducer, making them smaller and lighter. The 138,840 sq. ft facility will create up to 183 highly skilled jobs and hopes to reach a production capacity of 340,000 units.
How will JATCO UK contribute to the electric vehicle (EV) sector?
This investment is particularly timely, as the automotive industry undergoes a rapid transformation towards electrification. JATCO’s expertise in transmission technology will be crucial in supporting the development and production of next-generation vehicles. The presence of JATCO UK in Sunderland will undoubtedly contribute to the region’s growing capabilities in electric vehicle (EV) technology.
