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MARYSVILLE — Honda reported Monday it set an all-time record for single-year North American auto production in 2015, with total production of 1,862,491 Honda and Acura vehicles, an increase of 3.1 percent over the previous record set in 2014.
Honda’s eight auto plants in North America produced more than 99 percent of the Honda and Acura cars and light trucks sold in the U.S. in 2015.
Honda also announced plans to fortify its light-truck supply capability by adding production of the Honda CR-V to the company’s Indiana plant and the all-new HR-V at a second plant in Mexico, both moves are planned to take place in 2017.
“We are extremely proud of the record-setting efforts of our associates, which was key to our ability to meet record demand from our customers in North America for Honda and Acura vehicles,” said Takuji Yamada, president of Honda North America, Inc. “Our dedicated team of associates at our eight auto plants in the U.S., Canada and Mexico is committed to producing the high-quality products our customers have come to expect from the Honda and Acura brands.”
Production flexibility has long been a hallmark of Honda’s North American manufacturing success, enabling the company to add production of new models and move production between plants to optimize capacity and meet the changing needs of its customers. In 2015, this included the startup of production of the all-new Civic, HR-V and Pilot in North America and the announcement of plans to dual source the Acura MDX by adding production in Ohio in early 2017, in addition to existing production in Alabama.
“We must make more efficient use of our existing capacity in North America,” said Takahiro Hachigo, president and CEO of Honda Motor Co. Ltd. “We will work to advance a complementary supply system to meet the needs of customers in each local market and supplement the needs of customers in other regions.”
Regarding the production moves planned in 2017, Honda Manufacturing of Indiana will begin CR-V production, in addition to its current production of the Civic Sedan. The CR-V will continue to be produced at the East Liberty Auto Plant and at Honda of Canada Mfg. Further, the Honda de Mexico (HDM) plant in Guadalajara, which currently produces the CR-V, will transition to production of the HR-V in 2017 to help meet demand for Honda’s hot-selling entry crossover model, establishing a dual source relationship for the HR-V with Honda’s other automobile plant in Mexico, located in Celaya.
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