WHEN we speak to Kevin Fitzpatrick, he admits he’s alt feeling a little worse for wear from his retirement do the previous night. But no one can begrudge him that, because this is a man whose retirement has been very well earned.
Anyone who has visited Nissan’s plant in Sunderland officially titled Nissan Motor Manufacturing UK, or NMUK for short will know that the sheer scale of the site, where around 6,000 people are employed, is breathtaking.
That certainly wasn’t the case, however, when Kevin joined Nissan 38 years ago. He was one of the original 22 supervisors hired in preparation for the Bluebird going into production at the still-to-be-constructed site.
As a result, Kevin’s career charts the history of a factory that has become one of the UK automotive industry’s biggest success stories. As he finally retires from the company he’s given so much of his life to, we’re taking the opportunity to catch up with him.
“I'd just turned 25 back in 1985,” Kevin tells us. Previous to that, I’d worked for two other companies, both of which were in the declining traditional industries. The North East was being particularly hard hit with the closure of heavy industries, and coal mining was also being affected, so seeing a green-field site development by a big, global player at that stage of my career was an opportunity.
“I didn’t think I’d get the job because wasn’t experienced in car manufacturing and wasn’t very old,” he says. So to get it was unbelievable for me and obviously it was an opportunity wasn’t going to let slip by.
Bu hikaye Auto Express dergisinin May 03, 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye Auto Express dergisinin May 03, 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
PEUGEOT E-2008 GT
Our Peugeot EV and classic BMW may be the perfect two-car garage
SHOW 'N' TELL
Our 2024 Performance Car of the Year, Hyundai's Ioniq 5 N EV, takes on the revamped Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio
F1 EXHIBITION IS GO GO GO
Former F1 World Champion Damon Hill shows us around a celebration of the greatest sport on Earth
BYD Dolphin Active
Lower power means a more affordable price, but the new entry-level Dolphin is left wanting in other areas
Mercedes-AMG CLE Coupé
FIRST DRIVE We get behind the wheel of new CLE that aims to offer both comfort and a scincillating driving experience
Volkswagen Golf GTI
Ergonomic improvements are a welcome enhancement to VW's iconic hot hatch, but there's still no manual version
Toyota Prius
FIRST UK DRIVE Toyota's hybrid pioneer finally returns to these shores in fifth-generation guise and exclusively as a plug-in hybrid
INSURANCE SCAMS AND HOW TO AVOID THEM
INSURANCE FRAUD BUREAU EXPERT GIVES US THE LOWDOWN ON THE LATEST SWINDLES
Honda's updated HR-V sports sharp new look
Brand's best-selling model in Europe has also received some interior revisions and extra safety kit
Audi sets £70k start price for new A6 EV
ORDER books for the new Audi A6 e-tron are open now, with prices from just under £70,000 and deliveries starting next February.