Nissan preparing to launch Turkey production

EMRE ÖZPEYNİRCİ

ISTANBUL – Hürriyet

Investing in Turkey is inevitable for Japan’s Nissan Motors to grow in the domestic market, just like French carmaker Renault, according to Carlos Ghosn, chief executive officer of Renault and Nissan.

Following the “Everything is ready, let’s produce Nissan together,” invitation of Oyak, Renault’s local partner, Ghosn is expected to come to Turkey on July 5 to launch the investment process.

After some meetings in Istanbul and northwestern industrial province of Bursa, Ghosn will go to the southern province of İskenderun to examine other lands proposed by Oyak Group for a possible investment of Nissan. Ghosn is also expected to meet with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Industry and Trade Minister Nihat Ergün to ask for the removal of obstacles for a possible investment.

Ghosn had first announced the company’s investment plan in the domestic market during an automotive fair in Paris last September. In parallel to the increasing importance of the Turkish market, Nissan may be obliged to plan an investment in Turkey, Ghosn had said. Following this statement, Nissan Deputy President Gilles Normand also confirmed that an investment plan in Turkey is on the company’s agenda.

“Experiences of Renault in Turkey are a good example for us,” Normand said. “We will examine necessary infrastructure and cooperation opportunities. Nissan’s share in the global automotive market is around 5.6 to 5.7 percent, while this figure is at 1.5 percent level in the Turkish market. We are not happy with our performance. We will work quickly to improve it.”