Honda can build 1.63 million cars and light trucks at its seven auto plants in North America.
Honda Manufacturing of Indiana, HMIN, today began a second production shift for the first time, which increases output at the plant to its full annual capacity and adds approximately 1,000 new associates to Honda’s operations in Indiana.
HMIN opened in 2008 just as the global auto markets were collapsing due to the financial crisis caused by the reckless practices of Wall Street firms, banks and rating agencies.
The new second shift at HMIN follows the return to normal production levels at all seven of the Honda automobile plants in North America following the disruption of parts supplies as a result of the 11 March 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan.
Civic Sedan and the alternative-fuel Civic Natural Gas models are produced at HMIN. The expansion increases production at the plant to its full 200,000-unit annual capacity and adds approximately 1,000 new associates to Honda’s operations in Indiana. The new shift is the latest indication of the gradual recovery of the U.S. auto industry.
Hiring of new workers began in June, with training taking place over the past several months in every major production process, including stamping, welding, painting, plastic injection molding, sub-assembly and final assembly operations.
Honda has the ability to build 1.63 million automobiles at its seven auto plants in North America, which combined have nine assembly lines. In 2010, more than 87% of the Honda and Acura products sold in the U.S. were built in North America, using domestic and globally sourced parts.
Honda opened its first auto plant in the U.S. in 1982, in Marysville, Ohio, with its 30th anniversary of U.S. auto production coming next year. Other more cautious Japanese automakers eventually followed, and Honda’s rise to a global automaker was largely the result of its ongoing U.S. expansion.
