A tale of 2 automakers: Nissan and Toyota’s contrasting strategies

A tale of 2 automakers: Nissan and Toyota's contrasting strategies A tale of 2 automakers: Nissan and Toyota's contrasting strategies

TOKYO — Looking at the restructuring plan released by Nissan Motor on Tuesday, I feel as if I have gone 26 years back in time.

The biggest challenge Nissan faces now is a surplus of facilities and personnel. Estimates indicate plant utilization rates in the U.S. and Japan are in the range of 50% to 60%, below the automaker’s break-even point.