Sponsored film by Turners Video for Japanese firm Nissan Motor Manufacturing (UK) Ltd, or NMUK, made to promote their new car manufacturing plant in Sunderland and their first production, the Nissan Bluebird. The film begins by introducing a new red Nissan Bluebird car put through its paces on country roads. Title: Nissan Bluebird – Built in Britain The film’s location changes to a test track near Sunderland as a Nissan Bluebird is driven across varying road surfaces. The next sequence...

Sponsored film by Turners Video for Japanese firm Nissan Motor Manufacturing (UK) Ltd, or NMUK, made to promote their new car manufacturing plant in Sunderland and their first production, the Nissan Bluebird. The film begins by introducing a new red Nissan Bluebird car put through its paces on country roads. Title: Nissan Bluebird – Built in Britain The film’s location changes to a test track near Sunderland as a Nissan Bluebird is driven across varying road surfaces. The next sequence filmed in July 1984 records the ground breaking ceremony heralding the building of the new Nissan car manufacturing premises at Sunderland. Four large earth movers cut through a large barrier made up of banners with ‘Nissan’ written on them. The earth movers cut into the turf. General views follow of a large stretch of land levelled off by the machinery. An old air hangar reveals the site’s former role as an airfield. On 7 November 1984, the hangar was turned into a Japanese garden for the day. The film shows a water feature in the hangar and a gathering of dignitaries to celebrate the start of plant construction. Peter Wickens, the personnel director speaks from a lectern near the Japanese garden. He is also the first British person to be employed by the Japanese firm. He welcomes everyone to the official stone laying ceremony for the new Nissan plant. The president of Nissan, Takashi Ishihara, presses a button on a control box and the waterfall ceases revealing a commemorative stone underneath. A time capsule is also buried as part of the ceremony. As the plant site lays under snow, construction begins. Machines lay foundations and the steel frame is erected. General views from much later into the project show the extent of the steel framing, and access roads being laid and smoothed flat by road rollers. Inside the steel framed building floor slabs are laid. In the summer cladding and roofing is fixed to the steel frame. General views show the exterior cladding of the building almost complete. The internal fitting of part of the building begins, including the connecting of utilities such electricity, gas and water. Workmen fit doors to offices, as another view shows the almost complete building standing in landscaped surroundings. An articulated lorry delivers ‘line’ equipment. A heavy duty crane lifts a large wooden box off the lorry, as engineers prepare for the equipment to be moved into the factory. Two heavy duty fork lift vehicles move the box into the main building. Boxes of pressed steel car parts are also unpacked to be stored for use in trial production. Japanese engineers inspect the parts they sent out in the boxes to ensure that they have arrived in good condition. Two engineers work on the installation of production equipment, and a new type of conveying equipment for moving car bodies along the line The production line is also known as the ‘liger ‘line’, from the word ‘lion’ a symbol of Britain and ‘tiger’ a symbol of the Orient. In the newly built paint shop, a car body is immersed in a tank of liquid. Known as the full dip electro coat process, this provides the car with anti-corrosion protection before the final colour is put on. Next, a new Bluebird slowly moves through a curtain of silver tassles. It is April 1986 and the first trial production car comes off the line. Workers and management all applaud as the car appears. A senior member of staff talks to the gathered workforce about the significance of the day. Staff gather round to have a good look at the new car. Title: Peter Wickens – Director of Personnel and Information Systems On camera Peter praises the staff at the new plant emphasising that quality staff create a quality product. Various shots show workers on the assembly line Stills of  job advertisements for position sat Nissan follow, including maintenance technicians and a computer services manager. General views follow showing engineers going about their work on the assembly plant. Peter Wickens appears on camera again, and outlines the rigour that Nissan emplys in selecting staff. At a training session, a man is asked to fit a road wheel to a hub. Back to Peter Wickens on camera, then back to the two men involved in the training session. Against the clock, the trainee connects some cables on a board using special connectors and nuts. Peter Wickens sums up by stating he believes the workforce at Nissan is the best of any car manufacturer in Europe. Title: John Cushnaghan – Production Manager On screen John Cushnaghan talks about the installation of the equipment needed to produce an efficient assembly line. As he continues, engineers are seen installing various pieces of equipment on the line. In a special booth others use grinding equipment on a car body. In another specialist area paint is applied to a car by machine but also by a man wearing protective clothing. Two men in full body protection suits inspect the paint finish on one of the cars. Views follow of other aspects of work on the assembly line, including the fitting of windscreens and engines. John Cushnaghan continues on camera about production technology. The film shows the assembly of a car body, with robots completing the welding. On camera again, he states that quality levels are assured by the implementation of a comprehensive quality control programme. Workers grind part of a car body, and production managers check over one of the cars from the production line, a task which is carried out daily. John meets with the managers when this process is taking place. On camera John speaks of some Japanese management practices which have been introduced at the Sunderland plant. More general views of the assembly line follow. Peter Wickens speaks on camera again about training practices which involve local colleges:  some staff are sent out to Japan. Views follow of Sunderland staff travelling on a train through a Japanese suburb. Peter explains that training for the Sunderland staff took place at a number of plants, including the massive Oppama plant at Yokosuka. An aerial view shows the extent of the plant. For more than ten weeks team leaders are exposed to the Nissan philosophy of working practice. A number of other team leaders check over a new car straight off the assembly line. The film cuts back to general views of Nissan's Sunderland plant. A travelling shot shows a large ‘Nissan ‘sign’ on one of the buildings. This cuts to a view of a new Bluebird being driven past the plant. Title: Ian Gibson – Deputy Managing Director Ian Gibson talks about the supply chain for components, and the need for quality products. A worker on the assembly line is fitting a brake mechanism to a car. Two other men fit headlining to the interior side of the roof of another car. Others fit a number of components to assembly line vehicles including a car windscreen. On camer  Ian talks about the testing of components. Two men work on a dashboard moulding to check that it is compatible with Nissan's exacting standards. Ian then talks about the importance of local content in car production to ensure a truly European standard vehicle. More shots of workers fitting out a car and installing a wiring loom on another follow. Other workers check over the rear bumper of a finished vehicle, and fit a wing mirror to a car door, testing the winding window mechanism. A radio aerial mechanism is tested, followed by the radio itself. Ian Gibson finishes his piece on camera, and a number of general views follow of the assembly line. In July 1986, after two periods of trial production, the first official production Bluebird comes off the line. Staff applaud as the car is brought off the assembly line, a registration plate on the front of the car reading ‘Bluebird 1’ John Cushnaghan speaks to the gathered workforce about the significance of the event. Title: Washington 8th September 1986 Limousines arrive at the Nissan factory for the official opening. British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher is invited to take part in a Japanese tradition, as she paints the eye of a Japanese doll, signifying the completion of the project. A round of applause follows. From the specially constructed stage, Mrs Thatcher makes a speech. The film shows TV cameras recording the event, including a camera from Tyne Tees Television. Mrs Thatcher then draws the curtains back on a commemorative stone showing the official opening of the plant, the 8th of September 1986. A round of applause follows. One of the members of staff makes a speech about his experiences of being a member of the Nissan team. As the speech continues, the film shows the prime minister taking a tour of the plant, with media cameras following. General views of workers on the assembly line. The commentary outlines future targets for the business. A number of finished Bluebirds undergo a final inspection. The film ends as it began with a Bluebird driving over a stone bridge on a country road, and travelling along roads surrounded by forest. Title: A Production for Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. Title: By Turners Film & Video Productions – Newcastle Upon Tyne Title: Nissan (Logo)