Honda North America Tops 20 Million Autos

Honda North America Tops 20 Million Autos Honda made its 20 millionth automobile in North America based on January 2009 production totals to be released this week. Tsuneo Tanai - president & CEO of Honda of America Mfg. and head of Honda's production operations in North America, covering the U.S., Canada and Mexico – sent a letter thanking the more than 34,000 associates working in the company's manufacturing, sales, marketing and R&D operations in North America. Honda began U.S. auto production in 1982 in Marysville, Ohio. Since then, Honda has grown to four U.S. automobile plants: Marysville and East Liberty, Ohio; Lincoln, Alabama; and Greensburg, Indiana; two plants in Alliston, Ontario, Canada; and a plant in Jalisco, El Salto, Mexico. In addition to the 20 million cars and light trucks, Honda's cumulative North American production of automobile engines exceeds 18.4 million units, mostly in Ohio and Alabama, with automatic transmission production now exceeding 13 million units at plants in Ohio and Georgia. Honda currently partners with more than 620 North American suppliers, including 545 in the U.S., and purchased more than $19.5 billion in parts and materials from its North American suppliers in 2008. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment in 1959 of American Honda Motor Co., Inc., Honda's first overseas subsidiary. Honda began U.S. motorcycle production in Ohio in 1979. The company has invested more than $10.6 billion in its North America operations, including 16 major manufacturing facilities, to produce Honda and Acura automobiles, motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, personal watercraft, lawn mowers, general-purpose engines, and other power equipment products. Source : mfrtech.com (2/3/2009)