Nissan Opens Efficient New Paint Plant in Tennessee

It's the first to roll off Nissan's newest and most efficient paint plant in the world, established at the Smyrna plant in Tennessee. The factory recently started making the Infiniti JX and the Nissan Leaf electric vehicle, and is expected to produce the new Rogue crossover as well, so the upgrade was much needed.

Nissan says that this state-of-the-art facility sets new standards for quality, efficiency and environmental impacts, as it is capable of reducing energy consumption by 30 percent, carbon emissions by 30 percent and volatile organic compound (VOCs) emissions by 70 percent.

One very important innovation is that all three layers of paint and primer are applied in succession, before the vehicle goes into the oven.

"Nissan is committed to increase energy efficiency as we reduce the environmental impact of manufacturing the highest quality vehicles sold in North America," said Susan Brennan, Nissan's vice president of manufacturing in Smyrna. "These efforts align with our global strategies of zero-emission leadership and corporate social responsibility to employees, stakeholders and customers."