The new manufacturing plant from Honda Automobile

Honda Automobile (Thailand) Co., Ltd., Thailand’s second largest manufacturer and exporter of passenger cars, has started production at the company’s second newly operational world-class auto plant, built adjacent to its existing plant in Ayutthaya province, Thailand, with an investment of more than Bht. 6.2 billion. Covering an area of about 150,000m2, the new auto plant will employ an additional 2,200 Honda associates and double its annual production capacity to 240,000 units. The plant will manufacture Honda’s current portfolio of best-selling products – the Accord, Civic, CR-V, Jazz and the City.

Fumihiko Ike, President & CEO of Asian Honda Motor Co., Ltd., said, “With this second plant, our Thai operations advance to the next stage.  This means not just providing high quality products to global markets.  Our operations here will enhance their responsibility as the leader plant in Asia to provide technical support to other plants across the region.  With the rapid changes occurring around the world, our operations in Asia will play a greater role than ever,”

Kenji Otaka, HATC’s President, said, “With the start of this new auto plant, Honda Automobile Thailand is now ranked the largest manufacturer of passenger cars in ASEAN.  This plant incorporates the most advanced clean production technologies currently deployed anywhere, making it one of Honda’s cleanest auto manufacturing facilities in the world.”

This new plant at Rojana Industrial Estate, Ayutthaya, is quite modern and advanced with high standards for environment-friendliness, ergonomically-designed manufacturing processes, and safety for the team working on site.  It is equipped with a “complete water-recycling system” to eliminate water wastage. The new plant will also reduce the use of volatile organic compounds by 50%, while the installation of Honda-developed CIGS (copper, indium, gallium and selenium) thin-film solar cells will cut carbon dioxide emissions by 10% compared with 2005 standards.

More automated systems are also featured at the new facility.  The assembly line is equipped with advanced light-weight tools and sophisticated conveyor systems that automatically adjust the position of the car on the assembly line to optimise convenience and comfort for its employees, thereby reducing fatigue.

Honda’s manufacturing facility in Thailand is currently ranked the sixth largest in Honda’s operations around the world after Japan, USA, China, Canada and the United Kingdom.  In Thailand, it employs over 4,200 associates and will increase the number to more than 6,400 employees to manage manufacturing operations at the two auto plants.