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Honda - The first Japanese auto plant to build a car in America turns 25
5th November, 2007
The 5,300 associates at Honda's Marysville Auto Plant will not miss a beat as they spend the day building more than 1,800 cars and light trucks. Later this month, they will hit another milestone - production of the plant's nine-millionth vehicle.
Associates recently launched the eighth-generation Honda Accord at the plant. The Accord was the plant's first vehicle and it remains the plant's core product. The U.S. is the most important market for the Accord by far, with sales of more than 300,000 units through September, mostly built in the Marysville Auto Plant. Nearly 80 percent of all Honda and Acura vehicles sold in America are built at one of Honda's six auto plants in North America.
At 25 years, the Marysville plant and its associates continue as a driving force for Honda and the auto industry. Honda brought its unique brand of teamwork and associate involvement to manufacturing when it established Honda of America Mfg., Inc. near Marysville to begin motorcycle manufacturing in 1979. Success of that startup quickly led that same year to the bold decision to build an auto plant as well. At the time, the company was still a relative newcomer to the automobile business and only a fraction the size of Japan's established automakers.
"People are always asking why Honda has been so successful," said Honda of America President Akio Hamada. "The answer is simple: our associates. Their involvement and teamwork to achieve the highest quality for our customers and improve our operations have continuously driven us forward to higher levels and greater achievements."
Honda's approach to auto manufacturing was new to America with a foundation built on customer satisfaction, a high level of teamwork and a passion for overcoming challenges. The Marysville plant introduced many new concepts to the U.S. auto industry, including just-in-time parts delivery, quick die changes in metal stamping, rolling model changes to launch new vehicles without stopping production and a high level of flexible model production.
Honda's automotive experience in Ohio became the model for Honda globally, Hamada said, in terms of local production, developing a local supplier network and recognizing the importance of working closely with communities. "We have been building cars in Ohio since 1982," he said. "This has been possible because we have grown together with communities like Marysville."
As the first Accord sedans began rolling off the line Nov. 1, 1982, Honda associates who were building cars in small numbers with nearly identical content and in only a few colors also had little manufacturing experience. In the last two months of 1982, fewer than 1,000 Accords were produced as the associates focused on mastering their car-building skills. By the end of 1982, they were making 160 cars per day.
The Accord was a much simpler product then, said Tim Hines, who was among the first associates at the auto plant. "While getting ready for mass production, we were producing maybe six cars per day, really focusing on assuring quality on every part of the vehicles," Hines said. "Those were perfect cars, because we were learning to build quality first, and then the product."
Today, the Marysville plant has the capacity to build 440,000 vehicles per year on two lines. Exercising the flexibility to build multiple models on the production line, associates have now added production of light trucks. In addition to the Accord sedan and coupe, they build the Acura TL luxury sedan, and the Acura RDX sport utility vehicle.
"The Marysville Auto Plant may be 25 years old on the outside, but it is a new plant on the inside," said Plant Manager Sam Harpest. "It has always been changing, and there isn't a more flexible plant in the industry with our level of quality and productivity."
At one point during the launch of the '08 Accord sedan and coupe, production of the old and new models overlapped during the transition. "To the credit of our associates, this team carried out the most complicated model launch in our history," Harpest said. "No other plant in America has the flexibility and experienced workforce to build six different vehicles at the same time.
The Marysville plant validated Honda's philosophy to design, engineer and manufacture products close to the customer. Building on its success in Marysville, Honda has continued establishing plants in North America and the world to meet demand for unique products by building them locally in each region.
Today, Honda operates six auto plants in North America and a seventh, located in Indiana, will begin operations in fall 2008. The additional production of 200,000 Civics per year at that plant will help boost Honda's total North American automobile production capacity to more than 1.6 million units in 2008, employment in North America to more than 37,000 associates and capital investment in North America to more than $9 billion. Honda annually purchases more than $17.6 billion in parts and materials from U.S. suppliers.
About Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (TSE:7267/NYSE:HMC/LSE:HNDA.L) is one of the leading manufacturers of automobiles and power products and the largest manufacture of motorcycles in the world. Honda has always sought to provide genuine satisfaction to people worldwide. The result is more than 120 manufacturing facilities in 30 countries worldwide, producing a wide range of products, including motorcycles, ATVs, generators, marine engines, lawn and garden equipment and automobiles that bring the company into contact with over 19 million customers annually.
Honda in America
`Honda's success in the global marketplace relies on its commitment to continued investment in America's future. That's been our philosophy since we first started U.S. operations in 1959. It's what we believe in. It's what you expect, and it's why we will continue to grow in America.
Operations Overview
We opened our first U.S. plant in 1979 and have evolved into a company that directly employs more than 25,000 Americans. More than 100,000 workers are employed at authorized Honda automobile, motorcycle and power-equipment dealerships in the United States. Tens of thousands of additional Americans are employed by more than nearly 600 U.S. suppliers from which Honda purchases parts and materials. Honda is proud to provide jobs that help better the American economy and will continue to work hard to do so.
History
In October 1946, Soichiro Honda established the Honda Technical Research Institute in Hamamatsu, Japan, to develop and produce small 2-cycle motorbike engines. Two years later, Honda Motor Company, Ltd. was born, and in 1959 Honda opened its first storefront in Los Angeles with six industrious
employees.
History timeline-
http://corporate.honda.com/america/timeline.aspx
Sponsorships & Events
Honda's corporate event sponsorship aims to enrich the social, economic and educational well-being of communities and society.
Major U.S. Facilities List
Alpharetta, GA Power Equipment Headquarters, Auto Zone, Finance, Parts Center
Honda Rider Education Center
Anna, OH Engine Plant
Honda's largest engine facility in the world, the Anna plant annually produces more than one million L-4 andV-6 engines.
Ann Arbor, MI Emissions Lab
Cantil, CA Testing
Colton, CA Honda Rider Education Center
Denver, CO Emissions Testing Lab
East Liberty, OH Automobile Plant
Using Honda's flexible manufacturing, this plant produces cars and light trucks on the same assembly line.
Transportation Research Center (Test Track)
Greensboro, NC R & D Center
Lincoln, AL Automobile and Engine Plant
Opened in 2001, this is our newest North American Automobile Plant, producing the Odyssey minivan, the Pilot and V-6 engine.
Marysville, OH Motorcycle Plant
Honda's first U.S. production facility, the Marysville Motorcycle Plant has produced more than 1.8 million motorcycles and ATVs since 1979.
Automobile Plant
One of the most integrated and flexible auto plants in North America, it houses stamping, welding, paint, plastic injection molding and assembly under one roof.
Mojave Desert, CA R & D Test Track
Raymond, OH R & D Center
Russells Point, OH Transmission Plant
Santa Clarita, CA Honda Performance Development (Auto Racing)
Swepsonville, NC Power Equipment Plant
This facility has an annual production capacity of 1.5 million multi-purpose power equipment engines.
R & D Center
Irving, TX Honda Rider Education Center
Troy, OH Honda Rider Education Center
Timmonville, SC All-Terrain Vehicle Plant
Personal Watercraft Plant
Honda's primary ATV plant in North America also handles engine assembly under the same roof and, in 2002, opened a second plant for personal watercraft production.
Torrance, CA U.S. Sales & Marketing Headquarters
R & D Center
American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
Sales, marketing, service, distribution, import and export of Honda Products in the U.S.
Country U.S.A.
Category Subsidiary
Began Operation 1959
Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
Corporate Communications Division
corporate_pr@hm.honda.co.jp
Telephone: +81-(0)3-5412-1512
Facsimile: +81-(0)3-5412-1545
Release link:
http://world.honda.com
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