Nissan Donates Truck to City of Decherd

DECHERD, Tenn. – Decherd Mayor Robin Smith noted that Christmas came early this year when Nissan Directors Rick Youngblood and Gary Edwards presented him with the keys of a new Nissan Titan truck today. The 5.6-liter V8 engine for the Titan is produced at Nissan's powertrain plant in Decherd.

The donated Nissan Titan will be added to the City of Decherd's vehicle fleet and will be used by the Street and Sanitation Department, which maintains the city's streets and cemeteries and manages refuse and trash disposal services.

"We rely heavily on trucks to move equipment, supplies and materials as we do our jobs for the citizens of Decherd," said Mayor Smith. "This is an especially timely gift since we are taking one of our older trucks out of commission.  For a small city, a donated truck is a tremendous help, and all of us here are very appreciative of Nissan's support.  We are so glad to have such a fine company working here."

The Nissan Titan Crew Cab 4x4 will be used to carry tools needed by the department's workers.  Smith noted that the truck may also help to service needs of other city departments.

"Nissan has been an active, socially responsible member of the Franklin County community for many years," said Edwards, director, Powertrain Engineering, Nissan Americas. "Our company makes donations to education and humanitarian relief projects in this area, and our employees are involved in all kinds of local service.  Through the donation of this Nissan Titan, we are pleased to make another contribution that will help improve the quality of life in Decherd."

Mayor Smith's late father – Otis B. Smith – was the mayor of Decherd when Nissan first announced that it would build a major powertrain facility there in 1991.  The plant has since become the city's largest employer. 

The Decherd plant covers 1.2 million square feet and is the home of the largest forging press in Tennessee.  Next year, the plant will build electric motors for the all-electric Nissan LEAF, which is assembled at Nissan's plant in Smyrna, Tenn.  Starting in 2014, the Decherd plant will become the first site in North America to produce gasoline engines for Mercedes-Benz, part of an agreement between the Renault-Nissan Alliance and Daimler AG that was announced in January 2012.

The presentation of the Nissan Titan was made at the plant on Nissan Powertrain Drive, the section of Warren Chapel Road that was renamed to flag the plant's location in June 2012.

About Nissan
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Japan's second-largest Japanese automotive company, is headquartered in Yokohama, Japan, and is part of the Renault-Nissan Alliance. Operating with more than 248,000 employees globally, Nissan provided customers with more than 4.8 million vehicles in 2011, generating revenue of 9.4 trillion yen ($118.95 billion US). With a strong commitment to developing exciting and innovative products for all, Nissan delivers a comprehensive range of 64 models under the Nissan and Infiniti brands. A pioneer in zero-emission mobility, Nissan made history with the introduction of the Nissan LEAF, the first affordable, mass-market, pure-electric vehicle and winner of numerous international accolades, including the prestigious 2011-2012 Car of the Year Japan and 2011 World Car of the Year awards.

For more information on our products, services and commitment to sustainable mobility, visit our website at http://www.nissan-global.com/EN/ and our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/Nissan.

About Nissan North America
In North America, Nissan's operations include automotive styling, engineering, consumer and corporate financing, sales and marketing, distribution and manufacturing. Nissan is dedicated to improving the environment under the Nissan Green Program and has been recognized as an ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year in 2010, 2011 and 2012 by the U.S Environmental Protection Agency. More information on Nissan in North America and the complete line of Nissan and Infiniti vehicles can be found online at www.NissanUSA.com and www.InfinitiUSA.com or visit the Americas media sites at www.NissanNews.com and www.InfinitiNews.com.

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Contact:
Vicki Smith
615-725-0749
vicki.smith@nissan-usa.com