This winter Japan-based Nissan will produce its Sentra sedan at its Canton, Mississippi, manufacturing facility, investing $20 million on expansion and creating the need to hire another 1,000 workers at its production plant that now has a workforce of 4,000.

Nissan's Canton facility, at 300 Nissan Drive in Canton, north of Jackson, Miss., currently produces the Altima, Armada SUV, Titan pickup and NV commercial van. In April 2011 Nissan moved production of the Frontier pick-up truck and Xterra SUV models from Smyrna, Tenn., to Canton. Production of the Frontier and Xterra is expected to begin in Canton later this year.

"The addition of Sentra production is a testament to the high level of production quality at our Canton plant," said Bill Krueger, vice chairman of Nissan Americas. "The Canton team has proved it can compete and win on a global scale. The Sentra will be the seventh model produced at the plant. Canton remains very important to Nissan in the Americas and Nissan globally."

"Nissan has been a valued member of our state and local business communities and a leading employer in Mississippi for nearly a decade," Governor Phil Bryant said. "Nissan's trust in Mississippi's workforce is evident, and I am proud that this company is creating 1,000 additional jobs for hard-working Mississippians. This expansion is proof that `Mississippi Works' and is a superb place for business."

Nissan also makes the Sentra in Aguascalientes, Mexico, and Krueger said production would continue there. He said the company's goal is to be able to change its mix of production based on market demand.

The Mississippi Development Authority worked with Nissan officials to help facilitate the project. The agency provided financial assistance of $7.5 million from the Mississippi Industry Incentive Financing Fund to assist with infrastructure improvements and job training.

"Nissan has expanded its Mississippi operations a number of times since company officials first announced plans to locate an assembly plant in the state, and the Mississippi Development Authority has been proud to support the company as it has further invested in its Canton facility and grown its Mississippi workforce," said Brent Christensen, MDA executive director. "I am pleased the State of Mississippi was able to assist Nissan with this latest expansion."