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Fulfilling the responsibilities of a leading global manufacturer |
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Honda got its start building motorcycles. Today we’re the world’s leading motorcycle manufacturer. Offering everything from small-displacement bikes used for everyday transportation to high-displacement, high-performance sports bikes, we’re meeting the need for mobility and enriching the lives of people throughout the world.
Demand is growing globally—in North America and other developed economies, but also at a particularly rapid pace in the developing economies of India, China and the rest of Asia, as well as in Brazil, Argentina and elsewhere in South America. With 33 facilities in 22 countries, as well as research and development facilities in Japan, North America, Europe, Asia and other regions, Honda is meeting local needs by developing and manufacturing products appropriate to each region. To respond to growth in global demand, Honda must fulfill its responsibilities as a leading manufacturer to produce and deliver the products society needs. To do so, we must take our quality and production capacity to the next level. And in focusing on the needs of developing economies, Honda must continue to increase the fuel efficiency and lower the exhaust emissions of its products by implementing advanced environmental technologies. In addition, it must implement advanced safety technologies to satisfy the needs of societies around the world. |
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| Honda global motorcycle production capacity |
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| Kiyokazu Sasabe |
Project Leader
New Motorcycle Plant Project Kumamoto Factory |
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Building competitive strength through superior performance and even higher quality |
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To confront these challenges, Honda has decided to move in stages to concentrate the production of motorcycles at Kumamoto Factory. Along with the small motorcycles (under 250cc) already produced at Kumamoto Factory, the production of mid-size and large motorcycles (250cc and up) will be transferred from Hamamatsu Factory to Kumamoto Factory. We’re improving motorcycle production efficiency and building global competitive strength through a revolutionary improvement in production capacity. We’re promoting the smoother introduction of new technologies and new models, as well as strengthening and expanding production capacity at factories in Japan and around the world. To these ends, in September 2006 we decided to build a new motorcycle manufacturing plant at Kumamoto Factory. Scheduled to begin operation in 2008, it will have an annual production capacity of 600,000 units.
We are determined to make the new facility environmentally responsible and people-friendly as we continue to strengthen our competitive position around the globe. As specific goals, we also aim to achieve further standardization of the components of small commuter bikes in order to reduce their cost, and to add new value to performance bikes by providing superior functionality and even
higher quality.
In addition, we plan to step up efforts to cultivate new engineering talent and enhance ties with the local community. Kumamoto Factory will increasingly exercise its leadership as the home base for worldwide Honda motorcycle and ATV (All-Terrain Vehicle) production. |
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| Transferring technical ability: cell assembly |
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| Cell assembly (illustration) |
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| Typically, motorcycle assembly is configured around conveyor belts that carry the bikes from worker to worker on an assembly line. But for some products, Honda has introduced a cell assembly approach in which three or four people work together to assemble a bike. This flexible approach, which is well suited to small-lot production of a variety of models, can also help enhance quality. Working closely with younger associates to put together a bike, assembly experts are able to share their knowledge and experience. In future, Honda plans to further leverage the advantages of cell assembly. |
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