Honda marking fifth anniversary of Greensburg plant
The company's Greensburg facility turned out its first Honda Civic sedans on Oct. 9, 2008, with about 1,000 workers at the plant. Honda officials say the factory now has more than 2,000 employees.
The company's Greensburg facility turned out its first Honda Civic sedans on Oct. 9, 2008, with about 1,000 workers at the plant. Honda officials say the factory now has more than 2,000 employees.
Honda and Subaru led U.S. sales gains in August as auto demand beat projections and Asia-based carmakers, buoyed by Toyota Motor Corp., combined for their best month ever.
The changeup is part of a transition throughout Honda North America Inc.’s operations.
Strong U.S. sales in December capped a remarkable year for the auto industry. U.S. sales of models manufactured in Indiana in 2012 by General Motors, Toyota, Honda and Subaru outpaced the national rate, rising 17 percent.
A deal struck 25 years ago brought Subaru-Isuzu to Indiana. Toyota followed in 1996, and Honda came in 2008. The three Japanese automakers now collectively employ 10,000 and support thousands more jobs at suppliers across the state.
Compact car made in Greensburg usually gets rave reviews from critics, but last year’s model was slammed for poor handling and a ‘cheap’ interior.
Just 19 months after its Civic compact, which is manufactured in Greensburg, hit showrooms and was slammed by critics, Honda has revamped the car, giving it a sportier look and upgrading the interior.
The next model of the Honda Civic, due out by year-end, may need hefty changes to silence critics and ensure the company’s 2,000-employee Greensburg factory has strong demand for its signature vehicle for years to come.
Honda Manufacturing of Indiana LLC, a division of Japan-based Honda Motor Co., said on Wednesday that it will invest $40 million in its Greensburg plant and hire 300 employees later this year as it ramps up production of its compact cars.
Production of the new Acura hybrid comes after the factory started last year building another alternative-fuel vehicle, the Civic Natural Gas.
Honda Motor Co. wants to double sales of its Indiana-made Civic Natural Gas sedans, but doing so
requires more fuel stations. The car maker wants some of its dealers to install pumps to sell the fuel.
Honda Motor Co. unveiled a trio of new vehicles Monday, including an entry-level car for the Acura brand that will be built in Greensburg.
Honda Motor Co. is sprucing up its Indiana-made Civic sedan, which received poor ratings, after less than a year on the market as part of a plan to boost U.S. sales by 24 percent in 2012 for its namesake brand.
Honda Motor Co., seeking to revive its Acura luxury brand, is introducing a sedan intended for younger buyers unable to afford higher-end autos.
U.S. consumers, who set records for retail purchases during Thanksgiving weekend, helped boost U.S. auto sales in November to what is likely to be their fastest pace in more than two years.
Honda Motor Co. said six plants in the U.S. and Canada will reach normal production levels on Dec. 1 after having to adjust output this month because of floods in Thailand.
Parts shortages from three months of catastrophic flooding in Thailand have forced Honda to cut U.S. and Canadian factory production by 50 percent for the second time this year. Honda, which employs 2,000 in Greensburg, said it will not lay off any workers.
Plants in Indiana and other states are slowly expanding as car companies foresee improved sales due to pent-up demand, population growth and an aging vehicle fleet.
Through September of this year, Civic sales were 167,384, down 15.5 percent from the 198,272 sold by the same point last year.
The automaker says it expects to begin the new shift at the Greensburg factory on Oct. 24 in a move that will double the plant's annual production to 200,000 vehicles.