Nissan celebrates 10th
By MICHAEL SIMMONS
Madison County Journal
Randy Pippins came to Canton from Columbus in 2003 as one of the first group of employees at the Nissan plant. He has spent the last 10 years watching Mississippi’s automotive industry boom with growth, while taking advantage of opportunities within the company to climb the corporate ladder.
Starting out as a paint technician working on the only model at the time, the Quest minivan, Pippins worked the night shift and took the initiative to put in for advancement opportunities. In 2007, his hard work payed off and he was given a supervisory role in the paint department.
“I understood I needed to take advantage of the tuition reimbursement plan through Nissan,” he recalled.
Pippins went back to school while working and received a BA in Business Administration from Jackson State University in 2009. In 2011, he received his MBA through the University of Phoenix.
His new role is a manager within the paint department, and he helped to bring in a night shift for the company’s truck program.
Pippins was among many Nissan employees on-hand last Thursday who celebrated the plant’s 10-year anniversary.
“I’ve seen so much growth,” he said. “You can’t help but to see it on your way to work every day. It’s a 360-degree turn. In the beginning of 2003 – the growth from there to now – is extraordinary. People are more knowledgeable about the automotive industry. I’ve seen a growth in the company. They put their people first.”
Pippins said the company began with the Quest minivan and later added five models in one year. From there, they have continued to grow, continuously adding lines and jobs in the state.
He said watching new employees come to work on the new launches is “like looking in the mirror 10 years ago. They have the same fear, aspirations, and energy that we had.”
Last Thursday, Nissan officials announced plans for the Nissan plant to assemble the new Murano crossover vehicle beginning in late-2014.
“A decade ago, we opened the doors of this plant and immediately became one of the region’s largest private-sector employers,” Bednarzyk said. “To us, that meant we were not only providing thousands of jobs and making a long-term investment to the state and to the region, but that Nissan was also going to become a strong corporate partner in central Mississippi giving back and making a difference in our communities.”
Nissan now makes the Murano in Kyushu, Japan; however, Canton will be the only worldwide assembly location, which already assembles the Altima and Sentra sedans, Armada and Xterra SUVs, Titan and Frontier pickup trucks and NV vans. Adding to the excitement of what will be the plant’s eighth model produced in the county; Bill Krueger, vice chairman of Nissan Americas, announced the company is well on its way to meeting their goal of manufacturing 85 percent of vehicles here in North America.
“With the addition of this new model in Canton, Nissan is well on its way toward meeting our goal to manufacture 85 percent of the vehicles we sell in the U.S. right here in North America,” Krueger said.
“As we look back on 10 years of manufacturing in Canton, it’s become clear throughout the Nissan network that ‘Made in Mississippi’ is a stamp of quality and great people.”
Pippins said there is a sense of satisfaction amongst employees knowing vehicles are sent out with “their” stamp.
“I actually touched that some kind of way,” he said.
“You become an ambassador when you become a part of Nissan. It does give you a rewarding feeling.”
Pippins said he wasn’t the only success story in Nissan, and that in addition to helping its employees, he loves the fact the company is so involved within the communities.
“One thing I really enjoy – our Habitat for Humanity builds,” he said.
“We help struggling families to have that title as homeowner. That’s an awesome, rewarding feeling. We donate money to the United Way and we’re able to select where that money goes. The one thing that stands out the most is when we donated 50 vehicles to (the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency) during the Hurricane Katrina effort.
“It says a lot for a company to do that and help people out.”
