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Nissan supplier, Boldon-based Hashimoto, takes on 70 new workers
A car parts supplier has taken on 70 extra staff after a rise in sales for its major customer Nissan.
Boldon-based Hashimoto puts the extra work down to a boost from the Government's scrappage scheme and the ongoing success of the Qashqai.
Hashimoto, which makes exterior plastic trims and radiator grills, sends 80 per cent of its products to Washington's Nissan plant and to Honda, in Swindon, Wiltshire.
"Things began to pick up for Nissan last June, although there has been no such improvement at Honda," said director Chris Robinson.
"Nissan has moved back to a third shift, which is a positive sign, and we have had to recruit staff to cope with demand.
"We have taken on 70 additional staff, but these are all temporary agency staff and there have been no permanent recruits.
"At this stage we are still concerned about a double-dip recession."
Mr Robinson said the end of the scrappage scheme, which finishes this month, was a concern, as was the looming change in Nissan's Sunderland manufacturing portfolio.
The Micra will cease production in Sunderland and will be sent to India where labour costs are cheaper.
A new model, the Juke, will them come on stream. Hashimoto has secured supply contracts, but not in the same volume as the Micra, as Nissan will secure easily transportable parts from China.
Mr Robinson said: "At this stage it is difficult to determine sales and therefore employment levels. It is unlikely we will be recruiting permanent staff in the short term."
87 jobs to go at Nissan supplier.
New figures for the company show revenue for 2009 was 21.5million, well down on the record 34.5million in 2008.
Mr Robinson added: "The end of 2008 and 2009 were a very bleak time and at one stage we thought sales would fall to 18million last year, so we finished 2009 in better shape than we feared.
"There are definite signs that things are picking up, but we remain very cautious and are cautiously predicting a rise to sales of 25million this year."
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Friday 10 February 2012
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