NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Nissan Americas recognized top-performing supplier partners at its annual Supplier Appreciation and Awards event, honoring companies that delivered exceptional quality, operational performance, innovation, aftersales support and sustainability results across Nissan's supply chain. performance in support of the company's manufacturing, purchasing, aftersales and sustainability goals.
Held at the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, the annual event underscores Nissan's commitment to strong supplier collaboration and recognizes the partners whose work helps support the company's manufacturing, purchasing and customer-focused operations.
"Strong supplier partnerships are fundamental to Nissan's success and competitiveness," said Steve Jernigan, vice president, Purchasing, Nissan Americas. "Our suppliers play an essential role in delivering quality products, advancing innovation, and supporting operational excellence across our business. We are proud to recognize this year's award recipients and are grateful to all of our supplier partners for their continued collaboration."
The 2026 awards recipients are highlighted below:
Quality – Awards suppliers that consistently meet or exceed the highest standards of quality in their products or services, helping ensure reliability and customer satisfaction. Recipients:
Body: Martinrea International Inc. (Hopkinsville); and Unipres Mexicana, S.A. de C.V. (Aguascalientes)
Chassis: Yapp USA Automotive Systems, Inc. (Gallatin); SKF de Mexico (Puebla)
Electric: Mitsubishi Electric Automotive America; Yazaki Arnecom S.A. (San Nicolas)
Advance and E-Powertrain: ZF Friedrichshafen AG (Marshall);
Engine and Drive: Aisin Automotive Casting Tennessee, Inc. (Clinton); NTN Manufacturing de Mexico S.A. de C.V.
Interior and Exterior: Autoliv (Ogden); Nihon Plast Mexicana (Queretaro)
Component: Schaeffler Group USA Inc. (Cheraw 2); NHK Spring Mexico
Supply Chain Operational Excellence – Recognizes suppliers who excel in the areas of manufacturing efficiency, quality control, innovation and supply chain collaboration. Recipients:
Panasonic Automotive Systems America; Saga Tekkohsho Mexicana; OPmobility
Aftersales – Celebrates suppliers who excelled in areas of performance, contributing significantly to Nissan's Aftersales operations. Recipients:
Valeo (Service Parts); NANOSCHUTZ (Service Lane); Flex-N-Gate (Accessory)
Sustainability – Honors suppliers for their efforts in promoting sustainable and socially responsible business practices in line with environmental and ethical standards. Recipients:
Adient; Kautex Textron; Mann + Hummel
Monozukuri Spirit – Recognizes suppliers who demonstrate a holistic understanding and appreciation of Monozukuri principles in both upstream and downstream activities. Monozukuri, a Japanese term meaning "the art and science of making things," reflects Nissan's commitment to craftsmanship, continuous improvement and manufacturing excellence. Recipients:
Nagase America (New Model Development and Launch Readiness); Nippon Steel Corporation (Agility); Forvia Clarion Electronics (Agility)
For additional information, please refer to this year's award brochure: Award Brochure.
Q&A
Q: Why are supplier partnerships important to Nissan's success?
A: Supplier partners are essential to helping Nissan deliver quality products, advance innovation and maintain operational excellence.
Q: What does it take to be recognized with a supplier award?
A: Award recipients demonstrate exceptional performance in key areas, including quality, innovation, aftersales support and sustainability.
A: Strong supplier relationships foster continuous improvement, increase resilience across the value chain and support long-term customer value.
Media Contact
Jennifer Swanner
Senior Specialist, U.S. Manufacturing Communications
Jennifer.Swanner@nissan-usa.com
Quick Q&A
- What event was held by Nissan Americas?
- Nissan Americas held its annual Supplier Appreciation and Awards event, where it recognized top-performing supplier partners.
- Who is involved in Nissan's supplier recognition program?
- Steve Jernigan, vice president of Purchasing at Nissan Americas, highlighted the importance of strong supplier partnerships. Companies like Martinrea International Inc. and Unipres Mexicana, S.A. de C.V. were recognized for Quality in Body components.
- When did this event take place?
- The event, which is an annual occurrence, honored the 2026 awards recipients, indicating it took place in or around 2026.
- Why does Nissan recognize its suppliers?
- Nissan recognizes its suppliers because strong partnerships are fundamental to its success and competitiveness, helping to deliver quality products and support operational excellence.
- What are the future implications of Nissan's supplier recognition?
- The awards reinforce Nissan's commitment to strong supplier collaboration, which is crucial for supporting the company's manufacturing, purchasing, and customer-focused operations going forward.
For more information about our products, services and commitment to sustainable mobility, visit nissanusa.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn and see all our latest videos on YouTube.