NISSAN's Sunderland car plant is the most productive in Europe, according to a new survey.

The factory topped the productivity league table for the fifth year in a row, surging ahead by nearly 20 per cent from its competitors.

A survey by World Markets Research Centre showed that workers at the Sunderland plant built an average of 101 cars per employee last year, a seven per cent rise on the 94 per employee in 1999.

However, that was still down on its record of 105 cars per employee in 1998.

Nissan's nearest rival was fellow Japanese car company Toyota's Burnaston plant, near Derby, with an output of 86 cars per worker.

The report highlighted the continued dominance of the Japanese car manufacturers in the European market, although Honda slumped from second place in the previous year's survey to 26th this time around.

The company's plant at Swindon saw production per employee fall from 83 to 55 in the past year, partly due to the disruption caused by changes in models.

Average production across Europe fell to 58 cars per worker last year after record figures of 60 cars in 1999.

Ian Robertson, from the World Markets Research Centre, said: "The report again sees a UK plant competing with the top global performers."

John Cushnaghan, chief executive of Nissan Motor Manufacturing UK, added: "This achievement is due entirely to the dedication and hard work of all our staff and to the relationship we have with our suppliers.

"Our plant at Sunderland is one of the most efficient and productive in the world. However, having said that, we cannot escape the fact that there is intense competition out there and we will have to adapt rapidly to changes in the market place if we are to retain our top position in Europe and pull ourselves up the world rankings."

Nissan plans to further increase production at the Sunderland factory with the launch of new models over the next few years is projected to bring an annual output per employee of around 120 cars.

The report is seen as another feather in the cap of Nissan's Wearside workforce, which earlier this year won the battle to build Nissan's new-look Micra model, against Renault's Flins plant in France.

Renault currently owns a 36.8 per cent stake in Nissan.

The Sunderland plant is currently undergoing a £225m upgrade and expansion programme for the new Micra project, securing the jobs of more than 5,000 staff at the plant, and thousands more in suppliers in the North-East and throughout the rest of the UK.

l In May this year, Nissan reported a return to profit for the first time in three years. It made a profit after tax of £1.8bn, compared to a loss of £4.5m in the previous year.