Mindblowing Stat: Nissan’s Smyrna Plant Now Makes Two Cars Every Minute

A worker at Nissan’s Smyrna plant lines up a grill. The automaker also operates a plant in Canton, Mississippi, which now has roughly 6,000 employees. The Credit: Nissan North America

Nissan’s plant in Smyrna has quickly ballooned to become the most productive auto factory in the country. The Franklin-based company expects to build more than 650,000 cars there this year.

Here’s the takeaway stat – Nissan senior vice president John Martin says the Smyrna plant is putting out two vehicles every minute. At this rate, Smyrna will break some records.

“She will be the biggest car plant in the history of the United States. She’s the biggest, and there’s never been one that was bigger,” Martin says.

There are also more workers than ever at the factory, though not all 8,500 are direct Nissan employees. Some work for contractors. Others are temps.

The facility is running three shifts a day. Martin says he could add a fourth if necessary, though he says that’s hard on people’s schedules. Nissan’s engine plant in Decherd has already gone to four shifts, meaning the factory is running all but nine hours a week.