Honda Attacks Skills Gap
HMIN Business Division Manager Fred Payne makes the announcement alongside Governor Mike Pence
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowHonda Manufacturing of Indiana says a key part of its $50 million investment into the company’s Greensburg plant is the creation of a career development facility. Business Division Manager Fred Payne says the company realized it could enhance its in-house capability by developing a center for associates to undergo training onsite. The $12 million Associate Research Center is part of HMIN’s efforts to prepare for next year’s production startup of the CR-V SUV, which also includes 100 new jobs.
Early this year, Honda announced the SUV production would move from a plant in Mexico to Greensburg in 2017. The automaker says the move gives the plant important flexibility to respond to market demands. The facility currently produces about 250,000 Civics annually. The Civic was recently named the 2016 North American Car of the Year.
HMIN President Bob Nelson says the company is excited about the challenge of adding the CR-V, saying the new investment will "enhance our manufacturing flexibility and better position Honda to meet customer demand for our lineup of innovative and fuel-efficient passenger cars and light trucks."
The automaker says the $12 million Associate Research Center will offer training in areas including robotics and maintenance. In addition, Honda says it will provide more than 1,000 self-guided e-learning classes involving Honda-specific and universal leadership skills training.
Payne says developing a training center onsite will enhance manufacturing operations.