CANTON, Miss. (AP) — Nissan Motor Co. is naming a new leader for its Mississippi assembly plant.

The Japanese company announced Wednesday that Philip Calhoun will become vice president of manufacturing in Canton, where Nissan and contractors employ 6,400 people.

Calhoun has been senior director of manufacturing operations at the Canton plant since October. He's worked in auto manufacturing for more than 25 years.

Steve Marsh, leading the Canton plant since 2015, will return to Nissan's United Kingdom manufacturing operation as vice president. During Marsh's time in Mississippi, the Canton plant launched two new models and workers rejected United Auto Workers union representation.

Both appointments take effect Sept. 1.

Nissan's 15-year-old Canton plant can make 450,000 vehicles yearly. It currently assembles the Altima sedan, Murano SUV, Titan and Frontier pickup trucks and NV vans.