Posted June 28, 200519 yr A couple of articles from the 6/28/05 Dayton Daily News: Honda hub may create 130 jobs By Ben Sutherly Dayton Daily News TROY | American Honda Motor Co. has announced plans to locate a domestic parts supplier distribution hub and procurement operations support office in Troy, contingent upon approval of a tax break by local officials. In exchange for a 10-year, 100 percent tax break on new real and personal property, Honda would locate the $89 million project south of its current operations on south Stanfield Road. Honda reiterated Monday that the new hub would create about 130 new jobs, 110 of them full-time, with total new payroll of $3 million annually. The combined Honda operations — the existing Honda facility would remain open — would employ more than 450 people, up from the current 340. Construction of the 500,000-square-foot facility, which would include 470,000 square feet of warehouse space and 30,000 square feet of office space, is expected to begin in spring 2006, with completion by fall 2007. Full story: http://www.daytondailynews.com/localnews/content/localnews/daily/0628hondaweb.html Troy panel backs tax break for Honda TROY | A City Council committee on Monday recommended the full council give emergency approval to a tax break for American Honda Motor Co. on July 5, despite concerns about heavy truck traffic. In exchange for pledging 130 new jobs and retaining about 100 white-collar jobs to be relocated from Honda's current location on South Stanfield, Honda would receive a 100 percent abatement on new real and tangible personal property as part of the 10-year agreement. A compensation agreement would assure that Troy schools would get the full amount they would without the agreement, though that policy would not apply to the city or Miami County. Full story: http://www.daytondailynews.com/localnews/content/localnews/daily/0628honda.html
June 29, 200519 yr It's a go. From the 6/28/05 Columbus Business First: Honda chooses Troy for $89M parts facility American Honda Motor Co. said Tuesday it will expand its distribution hub in Troy, adding 110 new jobs. The $89 million expansion, expected to open in late 2007, will contain Honda's Midwestern U.S. domestic parts distribution hub and a procurement support center. The hub will join American Honda's nine other distribution centers in the United States. The expansion will bring American Honda's Troy work force up to 450. The facility now employs 340. About 100 employees, who work in procurement at the existing facility, will move to the expansion. Troy is located northwest of Columbus in Miami County. Full story: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2005/06/27/daily14.html?from_rss=1
July 1, 200519 yr Many, many communities in Ohio--especially central/west central Ohio--must be quite thankful for Honda and all their suppliers. Honda employs more than 16,000 Ohioans, with total wages exceeding $1.1 billion annually, is a top-15 Ohio employer, and has never had a layoff. Honda has invested $6.1 billion in Ohio since 1979. Honda's investment of $5.3 billion in manufacturing in Ohio represents more than 80 percent of Honda's total U. S. investment in manufacturing. Honda's vehicle, engine and transmission production output in Ohio since 1979 exceeds $178 billion. Honda's vehicle, engine and transmission production output in Ohio in 2003 exceeds $16 billion. Honda has played a significant role in making Ohio the second leading producer of auto parts in the U.S. 154 Ohio suppliers, located in 52 of the state's 88 counties, supply parts and materials to Honda's North American plants. These suppliers made investments in excess of $1.56 billion in Ohio between 1990 and 2002. Honda purchases $6.8 billion annually from these Ohio suppliers. These suppliers employ a total of 40,776 associates, nearly half of whom are directly involved in manufacturing for Honda. These suppliers pay total wages estimated at $1.2 billion annually with approximately $550 million paid to employees directly involved in manufacturing for Honda. These workers pay an estimated $38.3 million in state and local income taxes annually, $17.6 million of which are paid by employees directly involved in manufacturing for Honda. For each $1 in output Honda produced in 2003, it generated an additional $1.1 dollars statewide creating a total Ohio output multiplier of 2.1. As a result of the output multiplier of 2.1, Honda's 2003 total output of $17.1 billion increases total output in Ohio to $36.0 billion. For each of the 16,049 jobs Honda directly provided in 2003, another seven jobs were generated statewide for a total Ohio employment impact of 128,406 jobs (and a total employment multiplier of 8.0). For each $1 Honda paid in wages during 2003, another $3.3 dollars in earnings were generated in Ohio, creating a total earnings multiplier of 4.3. Honda's $1.13 billion in wages and salaries paid to its associates in 2003 results in a total Ohio earnings impact of $4.85 billion. As a result of Honda's long tenure in Ohio, the comprehensive scope of its operations in the state, and the large reliance on Ohio suppliers of parts and raw materials, the economic multiplier effects found here are significantly larger than those found by other comparable studies of automakers in other states.
July 7, 200519 yr The tax breaks passed, so it looks like a go. From the 7/7/05 Dayton Daily News: Troy council oks tax break for Honda TROY | The City Council on Tuesday gave emergency approval to a tax break agreement for American Honda Motor Co.'s proposed $89 million domestic parts distribution hub and procurement support office, targeted for land between Interstate 75 and South Stanfield Road. City officials emphasized the package includes a compensation agreement that would assure the Troy schools get the full amount of taxes they're entitled to without any tax break agreements. The enterprise zone agreement containing the tax breaks and the school compensation agreement still must be approved by the Miami County Commission and the state. Full story: http://www.daytondailynews.com/localnews/content/localnews/daily/0707troy.html
July 8, 200519 yr Honda here in Ohio, and Toyota in Kentucky, has caused Japanse parts suppliers to construct plants in Ohio, too. So this Japanese investment in the region has been a real boon, as Dflys post points out.
July 8, 200519 yr Problems, from the 7/8/05 Dayton Daily News: MAP: New truck route Traffic from Honda worries county engineer Plan calls for keeping 100 to 150 trucks off Ohio 41 By Nancy Bowman Dayton Daily News TROY | A plan to keep semis from an expanded American Honda Motor Co. plant off an already busy Ohio 41 by sending them over county roads to an Interstate 75 interchange between Troy and Piqua was news to the Miami County engineer. Doug Christian on Wednesday aired concerns to the county commissioners about the routing of 100 to 150 trucks expected daily at the proposed $89 million facility between Stanfield Road and I-75. Christian said he has no complaints about Honda's project, but has safety concerns with the route from Stanfield to Experiment Farm Road to Farrington Road and County Road 25A to the interchange. Full story: http://www.daytondailynews.com/localnews/content/localnews/daily/0708road.html
July 16, 200519 yr From the 7/16/05 Dayton Daily News: Miami County wants road-upgrade help Troy joins in application for state funds By Nancy Bowman Dayton Daily News TROY | Miami County and Troy have filed a joint request for more than $650,000 in state money to improve county roads for use by 100 to 150 trucks a day from an expanded American Honda Motor Co. operation to keep them off a busy Ohio 41. The city and county applied this week to the Ohio Public Works Commission after discussing a city plan to divert trucks from Ohio 41 even though it is the most direct route to and from Interstate 75. In a tax abatement contract, Honda agrees to have trucks use Stanfield, Experiment Farm Road, Farrington Road and County Road 25A to and from the interstate interchange between Troy and Piqua. Full story: http://www.daytondailynews.com/localnews/content/localnews/daily/0716road.html
February 10, 200619 yr Honda to debut sportier Civic sedan Business First of Columbus - 11:58 AM EST Friday Honda unveiled the Civic Si at the Chicago Auto Show on Wednesday as its high-performance version of the Civic sedan, boasting a more powerful engine among other attributes. Ron Lietzke, a spokesman for Marysville-based Honda of America Manufacturing Inc., said the company hasn't disclosed where the Si sedan will be manufactured. The company has three production options - its East Liberty auto plant, where the Civic sedan and Civic GX, its all natural-gas-powered counterpart, are made; the Alliston, Ontario plant run by Honda of Canada Manufacturing Inc., which handles production of Civic sedans, coupes and Si coupes; or a facility in Japan that also manufactures Civic sedans. Lietzke said Honda has facilities in 11 countries that make Civics, but the East Liberty, Alliston and Japanese factories are the only ones that serve the North American market. The company also has not disclosed where the engine for the Si sedan will be built. The engine for the Civic Si coupe is built at the engine plant in Anna. MORE: http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2006/02/06/daily25.html
February 11, 200619 yr The new Civics are very cool. A big upgrade from the old econobox styling. Plus the gas mileage is incredible: 40 on the highway with the standard gas engine.
May 27, 200619 yr From the 5/26/06 Dayton Daily News: Honda breaks ground for $89 million center in Troy By John Nolan Staff Writer TROY — Ohio's growing relationship with Honda Motor Co. got a little bigger Thursday as the automaker's U.S. sales and distribution arm broke ground for a new parts distribution hub, but state officials still are eyeing a bigger prize: a $400 million auto assembly plant. Gov. Bob Taft appeared with Honda executives and regional officials in a 58-acre field next to Interstate 75 where American Honda Motor Co. will spend $89 million to open a center that will route car, motorcycle and generator parts to nine other Honda distribution centers in the United States. It is to be built next to an American Honda parts distribution center that has operated since 1986 in Troy. Honda's parts hub in Troy Projected opening: Fall 2007 Employment: 110 new jobs, plus 100 workers from existing center next door Company investment: $64 million in property, $25 million in construction Mission: Distribution hub for Honda parts from U.S. suppliers; also will house a procurement operations support office Full story: http://www.daytondailynews.com/business/content/business/daily/0526tafthonda.html
June 1, 200619 yr From the 5/31/06 Dayton Daily News: New Honda center ready to pay $14 an hour By John Nolan Staff Writer TROY — The 110 jobs that American Honda Motor Co. expects to create at the parts distribution center it will open next year are to pay about $14 an hour, based on the company's projected $2.9 million payroll there. Job seekers need not apply right away, though. Honda said it doesn't plan to begin hiring until about a month prior to the scheduled startup of the parts warehouse in the fall of 2007. The employees will receive incoming parts for various Honda products, including cars, motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles and power generators. They will ship them to dealers and to nine other Honda parts distribution centers, primarily serving the East and the Midwest. The $14 hourly wage is comparable to what auto parts supplier Delphi Corp. is paying temporary workers it has begun hiring under an agreement Delphi has with the United Auto Workers union. Full story: http://www.daytondailynews.com/business/content/business/daily/0531honda.html
August 1, 200618 yr Business First of Columbus - July 31, 2006 Acura RDX leading to rail changes for Honda Business First of Columbus - July 28, 2006 by Dan Eaton, Business First Honda of America Manufacturing Inc. is accustomed to dealing with big numbers. The automaker owns hundreds of acres and turns out thousands of vehicles a year in Central Ohio, but it's nine inches that are leading the company to invest several million dollars to reconfigure its rail yard. Nine inches is the height difference between the Honda Accord sedan and the Acura RDX sport-utility vehicle now coming out of Honda's Marysville plant. It may not sound like much, but it's enough to prompt big changes. "With Accords and (Acura) TLs and Civics, we can stack them three high," Honda spokesman Don Hensley said, explaining how the vehicles are shipped from the factory. "With the light trucks, we can only go two high." Bigger vehicles mean more train cars. More train cars mean longer trains. And longer trains mean changes in the rail yard. Honda will remove two tracks from its yard to create space for longer trains and for access roads to better enable loading and unloading of the trains, Hensley said. The changes, he said, will enable Honda to handle 25 more train cars and give the company 50 more switches to move rail cars around the yard. Full story: http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2006/07/31/story5.html
September 15, 200618 yr From the 9/13/06 DDN: Troy plans upgrades for Honda traffic City may spend more than $860,000 on improvements to West Main to handle trucks from parts warehouse. By Doug Page, Staff Writer Wednesday, September 13, 2006 TROY — Despite previous promises, the city is planning to possibly spend more than $860,000 to upgrade West Main Street to handle truck traffic from a Honda parts warehouse to Interstate 75. City leaders and American Honda Motor Co. had originally said the 100-plus trucks daily would be routed away from West Main Street, the city's busiest thoroughfares. Arthur Haddad, interim public service and safety director, said Monday the original plan was scuttled because improvements to county roads north of Troy would not be completed prior to the Honda opening next year. Full story: http://www.daytondailynews.com/localnews/content/oh/story/news/local/2006/09/13/ddn091306hondatrucks.html
February 29, 200817 yr Honda to ship motorcycle production to Japan Thursday, February 28, 2008 - 3:15 AM By Paul Wilson THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH When Honda's first motorcycle rolled off the assembly line in Marysville in September 1979, it marked the beginning of the company's operations in Ohio that grew to employ more than 15,000. Yesterday, Honda announced that the plant that started it all will no longer make motorcycles. The change will happen in Union County next year. The company wants to find other uses for the 330,000-square-foot building and offer new jobs to the 450 affected workers. The company will shift motorcycle production from Marysville to a new operation in Kumamoto, Japan. The move, set to take effect in spring 2009, will allow the company to save on production costs. Full story: http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/business/stories/2008/02/28/honda.ART_ART_02-28-08_C10_UG9FT6A.html?sid=101
February 29, 200817 yr Historical timeline of Honda in Ohio that went with the previous article on motorcycle production ceasing at the Marysville plant. When Honda's first motorcycle rolled off the assembly line in Marysville in September 1979, it marked the beginning of the company's operations in Ohio that grew to employ more than 15,000. Honda in Ohio 1977 -- Honda and state officials announce plans to build a motorcycle plant in Marysville. The plant will become Honda's first U.S. manufacturing operation. 1979 -- The first motorcycle is assembled in Marysville, about 30 miles northwest of Columbus. About 200 people work there to start, but the automaker says the number will reach at least 400. 1982 -- Honda opens its first North American auto assembly plant near the motorcycle operation. 1989 -- Honda opens its second North American auto plant in East Liberty. 1997 -- The motorcycle plant's production reaches its peak, building 174,000 motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles. 2005 -- Honda transfers ATV production to South Carolina and Japan. 2008 -- Honda announces plans to stop motorcycle production in Ohio in 2009. The 450 workers in that division are told they will be kept on, doing other jobs with the company.
February 29, 200817 yr That really sucks! At least they are going to try to maintain current employment levels. However, that may be difficult to do. This will hurt the business of the suppliers, as well.
February 29, 200817 yr Why didn't Ohio get the new Honda plant that ended up in Greensburg, IN? Lima was listed as a finalist. I wonder what swayed the decision to go to Indiana? Was it larger state incentives? More available workers? Better tax rates? better infrastructure? I really don't know.
February 29, 200817 yr If you are interested in an answer, I'm sure you can find it at this thread http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,8889.0.html. It's titled "Greensburg, IN lands new Honda plant, may help Ohio".
March 3, 200817 yr Trading places, Honda style Workers who are transferred from Ohio to Japan -- and the other way around -- build their experience and share ideas on a whole new scale Sunday, March 2, 2008 By Joe Hallett, THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH TOKYO -- Tee times are hard to come by on an island roughly the size of California that is crammed with more than 127 million people. That's one thing Koki Hirashima misses about living in the Columbus area. "If I thought I wanted to play golf, there was someplace really close by where I could simply go out and play," recalled the Marysville-based president of Honda of America Manufacturing from 1998 to 2005. "But in Japan, I have to leave very early in the morning and get home very late at night in order to play." As leader of Honda's worldwide manufacturing operations, Hirashima has less time for golf anyway. But he couldn't help feeling wistful about his years in Ohio during an interview at Honda world headquarters recently. Full story: http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/business/stories/2008/03/02/honda_trio.ART_ART_03-02-08_D1_BV9GDHF.html?sid=101
March 3, 200817 yr Honda exec reflects on time in Ohio Sunday, March 2, 2008 By Joe Hallett, THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Koki Hirashima was president of Honda of America Manufacturing in Marysville from 1998 to 2005 and in 1993 was chief engineer of Honda's Marysville auto plant. As president, Hirashima oversaw operations of a motorcycle plant, two auto plants and an engine plant, all in Ohio, and led the company's manufacturing and engineering functions throughout North America. Hirashima now is in Tokyo as managing director and chief operating officer in charge of Honda's global manufacturing operations. He also has served on the Honda board of directors since June 2005. His retirement, effective April 1, was announced in February. Here are excerpts of an interview conducted recently: Full story: http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/business/stories/2008/03/02/honda_guy.ART_ART_03-02-08_D1_P79GEGR.html?sid=101
March 12, 200817 yr After some googling, found this on the Honda of America Manufacturing website. Honda In Ohio - General Information: http://www.ohio.honda.com/ohio/facts.cfm Community Impact: http://www.ohio.honda.com/ohio/commImpact.cfm Economic Impact: http://www.ohio.honda.com/ohio/econ.cfm The Economic Impact site has a five section pdf report detailing the huge positive economic impact Honda has had on Ohio. Each section is downloadable separately as follows: - Direct Economic Impact 1978-2003 - Supplier Impact - Economic Multiplier Effects - Fiscal Benefits To Ohio - Summary
March 21, 200817 yr Honda's growth reassures suppliers Demand for fuel-efficient cars will offset 'tough year' Friday, March 21, 2008 By Paul Wilson, THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH With the U.S. auto industry facing a rough year because of a weak national economy, Honda is assuring its suppliers that they'll still do plenty of business with the automaker. Honda, which employs nearly 16,000 Ohioans, held its annual suppliers' meeting in Columbus this week. Representatives of more than 500 suppliers were told that Honda expects 3 percent to 5 percent sales growth this year, and that its fuel-efficient vehicles will fare well with gasoline prices solidly above $3 a gallon. About 150 Honda suppliers are clustered in Ohio, twice as many as in the second-highest state. Those companies employ about 40,000 Ohioans, half of whom do work exclusively for Honda, so the automaker's success is important to the state. Full story: http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/business/stories/2008/03/21/hondasuppliers.ART_ART_03-21-08_C10_2P9N5G6.html?sid=101
May 25, 200817 yr Honda plant gets rare tweak Facility to make more V-6 Accords when it reopens Saturday, May 24, 2008 - 3:01 AM By Amy Saunders THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Honda is cutting production days at its Marysville plant for the first time since the early 1990s to retool to meet changing demands. The plant was closed Thursday and yesterday and will be closed for an extra day around its normal July 4 production shutdown. Adjustments are needed to produce more 6-cylinder Accords and fewer 4-cylinder models. High gasoline prices are prompting consumers to trade in their sport-utility vehicles for smaller cars. But even though the 4-cylinder Accord is more fuel-efficient, the V-6 model is more appealing to buyers, spokesman Ron Lietzke said. Read more at http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/business/stories/2008/05/24/honda.ART_ART_05-24-08_C8_GNA9PJ6.html?sid=101
June 29, 200816 yr Motorists speed to fuel-sipping Civics Business First of Columbus - by Dan Eaton Friday, June 27, 2008 Don Smith isn't happy about unhappy customers, but in an industry getting clobbered by rising gasoline prices and a slowing economy, the problem he faces is a good one. The general manager of Hugh White Honda in Columbus is running low on Honda Civics and can't keep the Fit subcompact in stock. "I'd be selling 30 or 40 more a month if I had them," he said. "Both new and certified-used are going away immediately." As gasoline prices began soaring this spring to $4 a gallon, the national supply of Civics dropped from 72 days of inventory in March to 48 days on May 1 to 20 days by June 1. Inventories of the Fit dropped to 20 days from 40 in the same period. Read more at http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2008/06/30/story2.html?b=1214798400^1660873
July 2, 200816 yr Fuel-efficient vehicles power Honda's June sales gain Business First of Columbus Tuesday, July 1, 2008 - 4:40 PM EDT Consumers again flocked to Honda Motor Co. Ltd.'s fuel-efficient vehicles in June as the company's U.S. sales arm posted a monthly gain despite a more than 20 percent drop in truck and sport-utility vehicle sales. Torrance, Calif.-based American Honda Motor Co. on Tuesday said it sold 142,539 vehicles in June, up 1 percent from 140,935 in June 2007. As the automaker's sales month accounts for three fewer days in June 2008, average daily sales were up nearly 14 percent from a year ago. Bolstered by sales of fuel-efficient vehicles, Honda in May had sold 167,997 vehicles, surpassing a previous monthly record in August 2007. Read more at http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2008/06/30/daily16.html
July 2, 200816 yr Honda on top after awful June Ford off 28 percent; Toyota, GM also suffer Wednesday, July 2, 2008 - 3:11 AM By Nick Bunkley, The New York Times In a dreadful month for automakers, Honda Motor Co. used its lineup of small cars to defy industry trends. Sales at Honda rose 1.1 percent on the strength of its passenger cars. "Staying true to our core values is allowing Honda to weather the storm of rising gas prices and help consumers find shelter in our products," Dick Colliver, executive vice president of American Honda, said in a statement. The company has about 14,000 workers in central and western Ohio. All the major car companies have been struggling to keep up with demand for their smaller models. Toyota and Honda dealerships have months-long waiting lists for some cars, including the Toyota Prius hybrid sedan. Full story: http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/business/stories/2008/07/02/nyt_auto_sales_0702.ART_ART_07-02-08_C10_3SAKUOP.html?sid=101
July 14, 200816 yr Honda redesign comes amid falling sales Business First of Columbus Monday, July 14, 2008 - 10:39 AM EDT The flagship of Honda's luxury division is getting a new design. Honda Motor Co. will begin selling a redesigned Acura TL this fall that features new styling, interior features and improved driver technology. According to information from Honda, the 2009 TL, which will be manufactured in Marysville, and will continue to be available as the TL or the upgraded TL Type-S. Full story: http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2008/07/14/daily1.html
July 18, 200816 yr Honda stays a step ahead Friday, July 18, 2008 - 3:08 AM By Dan Gearino THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH In an auto industry in which high fuel costs and a bad economy have cost sales, Honda has been an oasis. Luckily for central Ohio, that company happens to be the home team, with more than 15,000 workers in the state, including roughly 10,000 workers in Marysville and East Liberty. Honda's strength has risen out of what once was called a weakness -- a reluctance to shift more of its lineup to large pickups and sport-utility vehicles. Now, sales have plummeted among those big vehicles, and demand has surged for compact cars such as the Honda Civic. Read more at http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/business/stories/2008/07/18/honda_boom.ART_ART_07-18-08_C10_9FAPFLK.html?sid=101
July 23, 200816 yr Battelle, Honda teaming up to get new generation interested in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects Friday, July 18, 2008 Business First of Columbus - by Kevin Kemper A good engineer can be hard to find, at least in the United States. Just ask Julie Swick at Battelle. In charge of hiring for the electrical engineering department, Swick says it's difficult to fill positions at the research institute when they come open. "A lot of the work we do is for the military, so I can't hire non-U.S. (citizens)," Swick said. That often leaves her scrambling to find candidates to fill open positions, especially if she wants to increase her department's racial diversity. Swick's experience is not unusual and has been playing out in a number of industries as the ranks of U.S.-born engineers have declined. Hoping to change that, Battelle and Honda of America Manufacturing Inc. have partnered with two engineering organizations and Columbus City School District to nurture a new generation of engineers. Summer Engineering Experience for Kids Theme: Engineering day camp for Columbus City School District students Where: Arts Impact Middle School, Fort Hayes Metropolitan Education Center Duration: July 14 - 31 Cost: Free Students involved: 300 in 6th-8th grades Camp sponsors: Battelle, Honda of America Manufacturing Inc., SAE International, National Society of Black Engineers Full story: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2008/07/21/story5.html?b=1216612800^1670801
July 27, 200816 yr New markets drive Honda to record profit Sales in Asia, Brazil help push earnings to $1.68 billion Saturday, July 26, 2008 - 5:31 AM By Yuri Kageyama ASSOCIATED PRESS TOKYO -- Honda Motor Co. reported record profit for a fiscal first quarter yesterday as sales growth in new markets offset the damage from a stronger yen and soaring material costs. Honda, Japan's No. 2 automaker, earned a better-than-expected 179.6 billion yen ($1.68 billion) in the April-June quarter, up 8.1 percent from the same period the previous year. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial had forecast 131.3 billion yen ($1.2 billion) in quarterly profit. Full story: http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/business/stories/2008/07/26/honda_earnings_0726.ART_ART_07-26-08_C7_6SARNR6.html?sid=101
August 11, 200816 yr Honda moving suspension jobs into cycle plant Transfer to boost flexibility in Marysville, East Liberty plants Saturday, August 9, 2008 - 3:01 AM By Dan Gearino THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH The Honda motorcycle plant in Marysville, scheduled to close early next year, will be converted into an assembly center for vehicle suspensions, the company said yesterday. The announcement answers the question of what Honda intends to do with the 330,000-square-foot plant, the company's oldest in Ohio. Honda said in February that it would close the plant and move motorcycle assembly to Japan. Company officials said the 450 motorcycle plant workers would be offered other jobs. The suspension assembly is now done at the auto plants in East Liberty and Marysville. The transfer to the new plant will begin next summer and continue into 2010. Full story: http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/business/stories/2008/08/09/honda_plant.ART_ART_08-09-08_C10_17AVR4S.html?sid=101
August 22, 200816 yr Honda hoping TL can revive Acura Sales of luxury nameplate have dropped since last redesign in 2004 Tuesday, August 19, 2008 - 3:09 AM By Dan Gearino, THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH MARYSVILLE, Ohio -- The redesigned Acura TL has a smile on its face. Or at least the chrome across the grille looks a lot like a smile, or maybe even a smirk. The front grille, with the chrome and the smilelike shape spread across the negative space, is a signature of design changes across the Acura line. Honda of America hopes the Ohio-built sedan can help breathe new life into its luxury brand. The fourth-generation TL had its coming-out party yesterday at the Honda assembly plant in Marysville, about five weeks before customers can buy one. The new version is larger, more powerful and looks different from its predecessor inside and out. Read more at http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/business/stories/2008/08/19/acura.ART_ART_08-19-08_C12_79B2GOM.html?sid=101
September 7, 200816 yr Honda zooms past Chrysler to 4th in August sales Saturday, September 6, 2008 - 3:06 AM By Dan Gearino THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Honda passed Chrysler last month for fourth place in U.S. auto sales this year, as high fuel prices pushed customers toward Honda's small cars at the expense of the trucks and sport-utility vehicles that make up the core of Chrysler's line. Honda, with year-to-date sales of 1,083,957 vehicles through August, exceeded Chrysler by 7,787. Read more at http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/business/stories/2008/09/06/honda_passes_chrysler.ART_ART_09-06-08_C14_GQB88FF.html?sid=101
October 4, 200816 yr Engine plant expansion helping Honda make more products in U.S. Friday, October 3, 2008 Business First of Columbus - by Dan Eaton Honda spent $138 million to expand its Anna automobile engine plant, but the Shelby County operation won’t be making more engines. The expansion, which took two years to complete, increases the plant’s steel parts production abilities and makes the 23-year-old plant the North American hub of Honda of America Manufacturing Inc.’s engine operations. “This has been a major project,” said Honda spokesman Ron Lietzke. “It’s almost the same cost of the new engine plant in Canada.” The work at Anna has received less public attention than Honda’s other recent North American projects, including the $550 million Greensburg auto plant that is set to open this month in Indiana and the $154 million Alliston engine plant in Ontario. The Honda plant in Anna is the largest Honda auto engine plant in the world, according to the company. Full story: http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2008/10/06/story13.html
October 4, 200816 yr interesting about the motorcycles...It depends what you read, but MC sales are flat. Scooter sales on the other hand are WAY up. up to 100% increase of some brands in the last year. Honda sells a wige range of engine displacements in most places in the world. In US, they just sell the smallest and largest models, entiely missing the hottest middle range market (125-300cc) that the rest or the world enjoys. Too bad they can change over to scooter manufacturing. a 125-150cc scooter can get 70-100+ mpg and take you everywhere but the interstate. 250cc plus can take you anywhere.
October 14, 200816 yr Honda shifting some U.S. manufacturing operations Business First of Columbus - by Matt Burns Monday, October 13, 2008 - 4:33 PM As consumers steer clear of gas-guzzling vehicles in favor of fuel-efficient cars, Honda’s U.S. manufacturing arm is shifting production operations at three Ohio plants to keep up. The company said Monday it plans to shift production of the Honda Civic early next year from its plant in East Liberty to a factory that opened this month in Greensburg, Indiana. The East Liberty plant, which turned out about 156,000 Civics last year, will increase production of the CR-V sport-utility vehicle and continue producing the Element SUV, spokesman Ron Lietzke said. Capacity and production volume aren’t expected to change at the 2,500-worker East Liberty plant as a result of the shift, which effectively moves the Civic out of Ohio. Lietzke said the automaker expects production of the CR-V will offset Civic production shifted to Greensburg and a plant in Canada. Full story: http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2008/10/13/daily5.html
November 22, 200816 yr It looks like even Honda is not immune from the national recession. Honda cuts production in North America, eliminates OT through March Thursday, November 20, 2008 - 10:39 AM By Dan Gearino, THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Honda is cutting back on North American production and eliminating overtime as the company adjusts to the shrinking U.S. auto market. In Ohio, that means no vehicle production on Dec. 22 and Dec. 23, the last two days of work before a holiday shutdown that will last through Jan. 5. For those two days, workers can take vacation, report for nonproduction duties or take unpaid leave. No layoffs are planned, said spokesman Ron Lietzke. Honda is cutting North American production by 18,000 vehicles between now and the end of March, the end of the company's fiscal year. That cut represents about 2 percent of its output for the fiscal year. Full story: http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/business/stories/2008/11/20/honda_overtime.html?sid=101
December 15, 200816 yr Honda to cut production locally, but no layoffs Friday, December 12, 2008 - 10:16 AM By Dan Gearino, THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH For the second time in less than a month, Honda is announcing a cutback in North American production, but no layoffs, as the company deals with a worsening auto-industry downturn. Honda said it will reduce production by 119,000 vehicles at plants in the United States and Canada. At Ohio plants, that means 39,000 fewer vehicles will be made in Marysville and 19,000 fewer in East Liberty. The company will do the reductions by eliminating between four and seven production days in January, and slowing the pace of production on other days, a spokesman said. Full story: http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/business/stories/2008/12/12/honda_production_cuts.html?sid=101
December 17, 200816 yr Honda slashes profit forecast amid global downturn Wednesday, December 17, 2008 8:48 AM TOKYO (AP) -- Japan's auto industry suffered another blow Wednesday when Honda, its No. 2 carmaker, said it was slashing its annual profit forecast, curtailing investment and slowing production to ride out a global slowdown. Nissan, the nation's third-biggest automaker, added to the dismal news by saying it was reducing domestic production by another 78,000 vehicles and cutting 500 temporary workers. What's more, the dollar fell to a fresh 13-year low against the yen, further pinching the automakers' income from exports. "Every day, the hardships we face are getting worse and worse. And there are no signs of recovery," Honda President Takeo Fukui said at a news conference that was hastily moved up two days from the initial schedule. Full story: http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2008/12/17/ahonda.html?sid=101
February 16, 200916 yr Honda sees brisk demand for cheap hybrid Insight Monday, February 16, 2009 - 8:48 AM TOKYO (AP) - Honda Motor Co. said Monday that demand for the Insight, the cheapest hybrid vehicle on market, is soaring in Japan with orders topping its monthly target of 5,000 in just over a week. The Insight gas-electric hybrid, which starts only at 1.89 million yen ($21,000), hit showrooms across Japan on Feb. 6. The launch of the cheapest hybrid vehicle came amid a devastating slump in the global auto market. But Japan's No. 2 automaker said demand for the Insight has been so brisk that the company has received more than 5,000 orders, easily beating its monthly target. Full story: http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2009/02/16/ahonda.html?sid=101
February 20, 200916 yr Honda plants get EPA award Business First of Columbus Thursday, February 19, 2009, 2:57pm EST Honda of America Manufacturing Inc.’s auto-assembly plans in Marysville and East Liberty have received Energy Star Awards from the Environmental Protection Agency for curbing their energy use. The plants were recognized for initiatives that reduced electricity and natural gas use, according to a press release. They also were recognized for implementing “intelligent paint booth” technology that reduced energy consumption and CO2 emissions from painting operations by 25 percent. Full story: http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2009/02/16/daily36.html?surround=lfn
February 25, 200916 yr Honda's new CEO has Ohio history Tuesday, February 24, 2009 - 6:11 AM By Yuri Kageyama, ASSOCIATED PRESS TOKYO -- Honda Motor Co. named Takanobu Ito its new chief executive yesterday in an effort to provide fresh leadership to battle a global crisis in the auto industry. Ito, a 55-year-old expert in research and development with experience at Honda's Ohio operations, replaces Takeo Fukui as chief executive and president. Fukui, 64, will remain on the board as an adviser, Japan's No. 2 automaker said. Full story: http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/business/stories/2009/02/24/HONDA-ap.ART_ART_02-24-09_C10_03D0VA5.html?sid=101
April 3, 200916 yr First GM, then Ford and Chrysler. Now, even Honda. :-( Honda offering buyouts Sales slump compels automaker to cut Ohio production, staff to save on costs Wednesday, April 1, 2009 - 3:18 AM By Dan Gearino, The Columbus Dispatch For the first time, Honda is looking to reduce employment in Ohio by offering workers incentives to leave the company. The move, which continues the company's tradition of avoiding layoffs, is part of a wide-ranging set of cost-saving measures announced yesterday after months of low sales. Honda declined to say how many employees it hopes will accept the buyout offer or how much money it hopes to save. The company also declined to give details about the incentives it will give workers who decide to leave. Full story: http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2009/04/01/honda_announce.ART_ART_04-01-09_A1_3FDDSB5.html?sid=101
April 3, 200916 yr This can't be a shock! If the general public and middle class can't afford to keep their homes, I certainly don't expect them to go out and buy new cars!
April 3, 200916 yr Obviously it's not a shock. But I am surprised at how quickly things can change. Only six months ago Honda was zooming past Chrysler to number four in U.S. auto sales. Now Honda gets taken down, along with every other automaker - domestic and foreign. Honda was in better financial shape than GM, Ford and Chrysler going into this recession. Because of this, Honda hasn't had any layoffs in Central Ohio, yet. In six months...who knows? As was mentioned in the previous article, "In Ohio, Honda has assembly plants in Marysville and East Liberty, along with an engine plant in Anna and a transmission plant in Russells Point. Its Ohio work force numbers about 14,000." But beyond this, there are hundreds of smaller parts manufacturing plants in central and eastern Ohio supplying Marysville and the new Indiana assembly plant. So far, Honda has been able to hold the line against layoffs. First the buyout incentives then the layoffs. And because its Ohio workforce is around 14,000, this would be a big deal. Particularly in the central Ohio region. Honda's impact on Ohio's unemployment numbers could be like another big wave.
April 3, 200916 yr Obviously it's not a shock. But I am surprised at how quickly things can change. Only six months ago Honda was zooming past Chrysler to number four in U.S. auto sales. Now Honda gets taken down, along with every other automaker - domestic and foreign. Honda was in better financial shape than GM, Ford and Chrysler going into this recession. Because of this, Honda hasn't had any layoffs in Central Ohio, yet. In six months...who knows? As was mentioned in the previous article, "In Ohio, Honda has assembly plants in Marysville and East Liberty, along with an engine plant in Anna and a transmission plant in Russells Point. Its Ohio work force numbers about 14,000." But beyond this, there are hundreds of smaller parts manufacturing plants in central and eastern Ohio supplying Marysville and the new Indiana assembly plant. So far, Honda has been able to hold the line against layoffs. First the buyout incentives then the layoffs. And because its Ohio workforce is around 14,000, this would be a big deal. Particularly in the central Ohio region. Honda's impact on Ohio's unemployment numbers could be like another big wave. Thats the economy as we know it today.
April 24, 200916 yr Honda gives workers buyout, retirement offers Thursday, April 23, 2009 - 6:36 AM The Columbus Dispatch Honda has begun offering incentives to reduce its work force, a move that the company announced late last month. A Honda spokesman said workers received information about two options on Tuesday and can take the deals at any time. The first is offered to any employee eligible to retire. If workers take the deal, they will receive a number of perks, including the addition of three years of service to their tenure. The second package, a buyout, will offer any employee willing to leave the company a full year's salary. They also will receive a lump sum payment of $17,000, plus $1,000 for each year they have worked for Honda. Read more at http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/business/stories/2009/04/23/honda.html?sid=101
April 24, 200916 yr All the Japanese companies are being crushed at home as the Japanese domestic market is somehow worse than the U.S. market. They also are hurt by their inability to do something useful with Acura. My sister just bought a hybrid Civic so that should help an insignificant amount.
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