SUV Production Gives Honda ‘Opportunity’
The new Honda Civic has been on-sale nationwide since November.
Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowA double dose of good news has 2016 off to a great start at Honda Manufacturing of Indiana Inc. in Greensburg. Last week, the Honda Civic, which is produced at the Decatur County plant, was named 2016 North American Car of the Year. That same day the automaker announced that production of the hot-selling Honda CR-V SUV will move from a plant in Mexico to Greensburg in 2017. One brings pride for the 2,300 workers at the plant. The other promise for future growth. During an interview on Inside INdiana Business Television, HMIN President Bob Nelson called it "a tremendous development opportunity."
"It gives us a chance to reach many more customers than we can with just the Civic," said Nelson.
While Nelson is not releasing investment or jobs associated with CR-V production, he does say it gives the plant important flexibility to respond to market demands. The plant currently produces only Civics, to the tune of about 250,000 annually. "It’s amazing how much the demand changes with the cost of fuel," said Nelson. "Light trucks are definitely hot, so we’re excited to be in a position to handle that flexibility."
The $800 million plant became Honda’s fourth U.S. manufacturing facility when it began production in October, 2008. The company says it has invested nearly $97 million over the past three years in the Greensburg facility, on new manufacturing processes and technologies.
In April of last year, the plant marked production of its 1 millionth vehicle.