Honda Assembly Facility Celebrates Milestone
by EVANDER KLUM
Twenty-five years or so ago, Honda decided that in order for it to become a major force in the auto industry, it needs to expand its presence in the United States auto market. And one way of expanding their operations in North America is to put up an assembly facility. Thus, Honda's Marysville Auto Plant became the first Japanese auto manufacturing plant in the United States.
Said facility is now celebrating 25 years of auto manufacturing in the United States. The automaker is known for efficiency and on its 25th year anniversary, it will continue its dedication towards efficient production as its 5,300 associates will build 1,800 cars and large vehicles on their anniversary.
The said plant recently launched the newest version of the Honda Accord. The eighth-generation Accord is concrete evidence of the automaker's dedication in its core products. Said nameplate is the first ever manufactured by Honda in the United States.
Akio Hamada, the president of American Honda, has this to say regarding their secret to success: "People are always asking why Honda has been so successful. 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."
When the Honda assembly facility was opened in the United States, the Japanese automaker showed Americans their way of doing things. Their efficiency in production has been unmatched with prompt auto parts delivery even before the launch of Acura brake pads in the country, and flexible model production. With these advantages on hand, the automaker is able to react quickly to the trend in the auto market. Vehicles and auto parts are delivered on time to their dealerships.
A true testament to Honda's efficiency is the contras between their early months in production and their production after that. The first Accord manufactured in the United States rolled out of Marysville Auto Plant on November of 1982. For the remaining two months of that year, the company's employees, or associates as they call them, produced less than 1,000 Accord units. That number is due to the fact that the workers are mastering their craft. After that, they were able to manufacture 160 cars everyday.
Hamada also gave much of their credit to their relationship with the area where they do business. "We have been building cars in Ohio since 1982. This has been possible because we have grown together with communities like Marysville."
