The history of Nissan's Sunderland factory 1992: Total investment in NMUK reaches £900 million - the largest single Japanese inward investment in Europe. Plant becomes two car production facility with the start of Micra production. Total production reaches 500,000 vehicles. 1993: Nissan receives second Queen's Award for Export Achievement. Presented with RSA Environmental Award for its "excellence of environmental management" for production of Micra. 1994: Nissan awarded a Gold Award for excellence in occupational health and safety by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA). 1995: One millionth vehicle produced. One millionth engine completed. 1998: Production of New Primera Estate begins. 1999: Millionth Micra built - the first Japanese manufacturer in Europe to reach this landmark. Millionth Primera also built. 2000: The production of a third model, the Almera, begins at Sunderland plant 2001: Production of next generation Primera begins. 2002: Production of new Micra begins. 2003: World Markets Research Centre identifies Sunderland plant as the most productive in Europe for the seventh consecutive year. 2004: Sunderland produces its millionth car for the UK market. 2005: Micra C+C goes into production. Six wind turbines are installed and begin to generate power. 2006: Note production begins and Almera production ends. Qashqai production begins. 2007: Qashqai and Micra C+C begin to be exported to Japan. Primera production ends. Nissan announces the construction of a £4.5 million Parts Logistic Centre. 2008: Total production exceeds five million. Four more wind turbines installed, taking total to ten. 2009: Sunderland Plant receives Queen's Award for Export. 2010: Work begins on battery plant facility, which will build lithium-ion batteries for Leaf electric car from 2012. Micra production ends. Juke production begins. Sunderland becomes the first UK car plant to build more than 400,000 passenger vehicles in a year (total production 420,000). 2011: Sunderland Plant produces its millionth Qashqai and 6 millionth car this year, almost 25 years since production began. Record production year for the plant and the UK car industry of 480,485 units. 2012: SMMT identifies Nissan Sunderland Plant as the biggest UK car plant for 14 years running, and the biggest UK car exporter for the twelfth year in a row. Record annual production of more than 500,000 cars. Nissan announces that the new Inifiniti will be built in Sunderland. Total production at the Sunderland plant is more than 6.9 million units.