Troubled Nissan closes one of its two plants in Indonesia, only makes Datsuns in the country now

Troubled Nissan closes one of its two plants in Indonesia, only makes Datsuns in the country now

Nissan has closed one of its two plants in Karawang, Indonesia and has stopped making Nissan-badged cars in the country, Kyodo News reports. This happened over six months ago, when production of the Nissan Livina MPV was transferred to Mitsubishi. The latest Livina is a rebadged Mitsubishi Xpander, and Nissan controls MMC, so this makes business sense.

The remaining Nissan plant in the republic produces Datsun cars. Both were located at the Kota Bukit Indah Industrial City in West Java, 65 km east of Jakarta. Asked for comment, Nissan’s country head Isao Sekiguchi said the company had implemented “production optimisation and restructuring of operations.”

Production volumes have gone done sharply over the years. Last year, Nissan produced 3,468 units in Indonesia, 70% down from 2017 figures. That represents just 0.3% of the country’s total production volume, according to Gaikindo’s official numbers. It isn’t much better at the Datsun plant, with just 2,596 units made in the first half of 2019, down 72% year-on-year.

In July, Nissan announced a global downsizing move that will involve the axing of 12,500 jobs in the next three years. That total will include 6,400 job cuts by March 2020 at eight production bases worldwide. Indonesia is one of it. Besides the MMC-made Livina, Nissan Indonesia’s offerings are CBU imports from Thailand (Navara, Terra) and Japan (Leaf, Elgrand).

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Danny Tan

Danny Tan loves driving as much as he loves a certain herbal meat soup, and sweet engine music as much as drum beats. He has been in the auto industry since 2006, previously filling the pages of two motoring magazines before joining this website. Enjoys detailing the experience more than the technical details.

 

Comments

  • Andrew Ng on Sep 24, 2019 at 5:29 pm

    Good move. When you know you are not making money, better to downsize or close down divisions. If Proton had done that 20 yrs ago when it was losing money, it could have saved like RM10 billion

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 11
    • History Bender on Sep 24, 2019 at 10:05 pm

      Why would they want to do that? If they had drastically downsize then customer waiting for their cars would have gone elsewhere. Their potential loss could be more than RM 10Billion.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 1
    • Screwed up on Sep 25, 2019 at 9:52 am

      Seriously, u call that good?
      Dont u see the similarity with P1…A good move is anticipating the market and adept quickly.

      If u wait till u discover that you are not making money to trigger u making a decision then there is no difference with P1.

      Nissan might claimed to save eg 10bil by doing this but is the glass half empty or half full?

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
    • Must survive on Sep 25, 2019 at 12:05 pm

      Same thing is happening to Toyota Malaysia and Nissan Malaysia.
      Collaboration and Platform sharing makes more sense than going it alone.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
  • Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 12 Thumb down 7
  • YB Albert on Sep 24, 2019 at 6:30 pm

    DIFFICULT,CHALLENGING OR SIMPLY BAD times are coming.
    BMW,NISSAN chopping jobs and closing plANTS.
    Even Geely sales globally is slowing.
    I know of people who take 9 yrs max loan for above RM 100k car,only to let finance tarik keta after the fourth year,cos they dont have plan B or C.
    Gone are the times,when buying has no limits.Now,car repossesors are making good money.Think 10times if u want a new car.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 10 Thumb down 1
    • Abg bawak surat RO on Sep 25, 2019 at 9:53 am

      One man food is another man poison…the food pyramid is now upside down.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 1
  • Dylan Ch'ng on Sep 24, 2019 at 7:53 pm

    This tells me one thing. Nissan/Datsun is not aware of what the markets want

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 3
    • Dailan Ngong on Sep 24, 2019 at 10:43 pm

      Wants French Fries flavour Sushi, go ask George Ghosn who get ill treatment from carrot head management.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
    • Not Toyota Fan on Sep 25, 2019 at 10:49 am

      Tan Chong also same lah. No clue to what market wants.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 0
  • Amran on Sep 24, 2019 at 10:03 pm

    Habislah Indonesia!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 2
  • Nissan Go on Sep 25, 2019 at 8:08 am

    Kill Carlos = killing Nissan.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 0
  • vVivi Zurianti on Sep 25, 2019 at 8:56 am

    I suggest BMW workers to find job at Proton. Surely no layoff at Proton, and with plenty of time for teh tarik, etc

    Proton will take care of their staffs very well.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 1
    • Darren on Sep 25, 2019 at 3:05 pm

      I don’t think they would mind taking in BMW workers as long they themselves don’t mind taking Asian pay.

      But not Nissan/TC workers. They don’t know what they’re selling and only talk shIt about their competitors. That Proton don’t need.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0
  • sam123 on Sep 25, 2019 at 9:24 am

    wondering what tanchong doing now

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
  • MyDear on Sep 25, 2019 at 9:52 am

    “Production volumes have gone done sharply over the years.”

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
 

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