Coronavirus: Nissan producing thousands of visors for NHS

The processing line has been set up in what is usually the plant's final assembly area for cars

Car firm Nissan is producing thousands of protective visors at its plant on Wearside for NHS workers during the coronavirus pandemic.

The car-maker has set up a parts processing line at its factory in Washington.

Thousands of individual visor parts are being sorted and then packed in sets of 125.

More than 77,000 visors are expected to be sent out this week, rising to 100,000 from next week.

The visors are made up of an elastic headband, frame and see-through plastic front section.

Once processed into a ready-to-assemble format, the packs will be distributed to an NHS procurement centre, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

The visors are shipped that way at the request of the NHS to minimise the risk of being damaged during transit and to ensure the maximum volume can be dispatched.

Frames are one of three elements that make up the visors

Adam Pennick, Nissan's production director, said its staff were "experts in the logistics behind an effective supply chain".

Car production at the plant was halted last month and the majority of its 7,000 staff furloughed.

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