Nissan maintaining RP unit workforce

02/12/2009

Despite the plans of Nissan Motor Co. of Japan to slash 22,000 jobs across Europe, United States and Japan, its local unit Nissan Motor Philippines Inc. yesterday said its local operations will not be affected except for 50 employees who have availed themselves of voluntary separation offered last month under the company’s reorganization program.

Nissan Philippines said it remains confident that the local market will continue to grow with renewed competition among players to retain operations and meet target growth.

Company senior manager for marketing and product planning Raymond Tribdino said under a new work structure, the local Nissan unit operates with over 300 employees following normal shifts with no overtime.

Last Monday, Nissan Japan came out with a statement that it will soon end the contracts of temporary workers worldwide from 235,000 to 215,000 under the company’s broad recovery program that came into effect after posting a net loss of 82.2 billion yen or about $904.2 billion in the last quarter of 2008.

Tribdino even boasted earning a 25 percent increase in sales for the month of January alone. “The survival rate is still high, this is the best time to buy a car,” he said.

This is because most of the assemblers will come out with promo package, and the better the promos the better because the competition is going to be good for everyone, he added.

Nissan and General Motors have started as early as January promotional campaigns that helped Nissan increase its sales to 123 units from 91 units in the same period last year.

To further attract buyers, Nissan has placed heavy subsidies on financing, car registration and even insurance under its “easy acquisition program.”

Tribdino said the company went as far as shouldering three years for LTO registration, one year free for comprehensive insurance, and free processing fees on financing. He estimates that buyers can save as much as P60,000 in all these fees under the promo plan. “These freebies would have not been offered if not of the crisis.” Ayen Infante

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