Honda to add CR-V line in $52M Indiana plant expansion
Honda Manufacturing of Indiana LLC said the expansion of its Greensburg plant is expected to lead to 100 new jobs by the end of next year.
Honda Manufacturing of Indiana LLC said the expansion of its Greensburg plant is expected to lead to 100 new jobs by the end of next year.
Honda Manufacturing of Indiana announced the SUV will join the Civic sedan in being assembled at the Greensburg plant. Honda said the move coincides with ending production of the CR-V in Guadalajara, Mexico.
Holiday sales, cheaper gas prices and low interest rates pushed U.S. auto sales to big gains in December, helping the industry close out a strong year.
U.S. car buyers came out of hibernation in April to spend on pickup trucks and SUVs, fueling an auto sales rebound that analysts expect to last the rest of the year.
Toyota built 1.86 million cars and light trucks at U.S., Canadian and Mexican plants in 2013, while Tokyo-based Honda made 1.78 million autos in North America.
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.