OREANDA-NEWS. Nissan North America celebrated the production of its 3-millionth vehicle at the Canton Vehicle Assembly Plant located in Canton, Mississippi. Employees and plant leadership were joined by Arnel Bolden, Mayor of the City of Canton, to commemorate this important milestone.

The 3-millionth vehicle assembled in Canton was a 2015 Nissan Murano and as part of the celebration, Nissan presented the special Magnetic Black Murano to Mayor Bolden for use by the City of Canton.

“It is fitting that our 3-millionth vehicle is a Nissan Murano. Since its launch last year, the Murano has continued to win accolades and grow sales. The vehicle’s quality and craftsmanship is a testament to the abilities and commitment of Nissan Canton employees,” said Steve Marsh, vice president, Manufacturing, Canton Vehicle Assembly Plant, Nissan North America, Inc. “The Nissan leadership team appreciates the Canton team’s efforts to build Murano and the other six models that roll off the plant’s vehicle assembly line each day.”

Over the past 12 years, Nissan’s Canton Vehicle Assembly Plant has bestowed more than $11 million* in charitable donations to various organizations in and around in the City of Canton, and is responsible for more than $350,000 in charitable contributions annually.

"The City of Canton commends Nissan for achieving this tremendous milestone,” said Arnel Bolden, Mayor of the City of Canton. “We join hands with Nissan in congratulating the outstanding employees who build some of the most remarkable vehicles on the planet."

Nissan has grown the Canton Vehicle Assembly Plant from a regional manufacturing facility to a global one, investing $2.9 billion in the plant since its opening in 2003 and supporting more than 6,000 manufacturing jobs. Nissan product models assembled in Canton include the Altima, Armada, NV Cargo Van, NV Passenger Van, Murano, Titan King Cab and Crew Cab and the Frontier King Cab and Crew Cab.

Since the first U.S.-assembled Nissan vehicle, a white pickup truck, rolled off the assembly line in Smyrna, Tennessee in June 1983, the company's U.S. manufacturing footprint has steadily grown. The combination of vehicle assembly plants in Canton and Smyrna, as well as Nissan and Infiniti powertrain plants in Decherd, Tenn., have produced nearly 13 million vehicles, 8 million engines and created more than 16,000 manufacturing jobs in the United States. Nissan's U.S. footprint also includes a design center in San Diego, financial operations in Dallas, research and development facilities near Detroit and Phoenix, and its North American headquarters in Nashville, Tennessee.