REVIEW OF OPERATIONS: NON-AUTOMOTIVE
Other Products & Services
Aerospace Operations
Nissan has been a key contributor to Japan's space program since beginning rocket research and development in 1953. The J-1 Rocket No. 1, developed and manufactured by Nissan, was launched from the Tanegashima Space Center of Japan's National Space Development Agency in February 1996. Moreover, 36 TR-IA4 Small-Scale Rockets for Space Experiments, for which Nissan developed and manufactured two major components, have been launched from the same location over the past several years.
Industrial Machinery Operations
This division has been producing forklifts since 1957, and today manufactures a broad range of high-quality products in Japan, Spain and the United States to meet the specific needs of users worldwide. Models include 0.9 to 7.0 ton engine-driven forklifts and 0.9 to 3.0 ton battery-driven 3-wheel, 4-wheel and reacher type forklifts. In fiscal 1996, unit sales increased for the second consecutive year, rising 11 percent to 27,800 units.
Marine Operations
In July 1995, this division introduced several models in the EX series of leisure and sport fishing boats that are attractively priced because they come as a package from the factory. The division also launched two new boats in the Sunfisher series of sport fishing boats, as well as the fun, competitively priced Suncat 8 catamaran.
Nissan is also an investor in Yokohama Bayside Marina Co., Ltd., which opened in April 1996 with 1,038 moorings. One of Japan's largest marine leisure concerns, it encompasses three marinas and a management company.
Financial Services
Financing has become an important competitive advantage supporting automobile sales and marketing worldwide. Nissan therefore provides a wide variety of automotive financial products and services to Nissan dealers and customers through Group finance companies in Japan, the United States, Canada, Australia, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy and Spain. Nissan Motor Acceptance Corporation in the United States is the largest of these companies, and during the past fiscal year actively introduced new financing programs that supported U.S. sales.
Textile Machinery Operations
Nissan's textile machinery operations are conducted by Nissan Texsys Co., Ltd., which develops, manufactures and markets advanced jet loom machinery. Nissan Texsys focuses on offering value-added equipment, timely customer response and strong customer support. In the past fiscal year, export growth was flat because of softer demand in countries such as China and Korea. To generate stronger interest in its products, the company executed a series of market-specific sales promotion campaigns covering six countries during the past fiscal year.
Mobile Communications Operations
The market for telecommunications services in Japan has grown since the liberalization of telecommunications in 1985. To participate in this growth, Nissan has been creating TU-KA mobile communications carriers throughout Japan, together with other partners. In the past fiscal year, Nissan continued to work toward the creation of a nation-wide mobile communications network by adding companies serving Tohoku, Hokkaido, Hokuriku and Shikoku. This brought the total number of TU-KA companies established in major cities and in regional areas since July 1991 to nine. These companies surpassed the 1 million units in service mark in the past fiscal year.