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Honda launches its 2nd Indian plant

The Rs 3,520-crore plant, which has a total production capacity of 1.2 lakh cars per annum, effectively doubles the company’s total manufacturing capacity to 2.4 lakh cars per annum.

‘With the inauguration of this second plant, we have doubled our production capacity in India. This plant is significant as it will help us realise the target of selling 3 lakh units in the country by 2016-17,’ Honda Cars India Ltd (HCIL) President & CEO Hironori Kanayama told reporters here. The new manufacturing facility, which employs 3,200 people, will have a starting production capacity of 60,000 units in a single shift, which would be enhanced as per market demand, he added. The company would utilise the 450-acre plant to produce Amaze sedan and later decide on producing any other models, depending on market demand. Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje inaugurated the plant.

‘We will produce both petrol and diesel variants of Amaze here. The production ratio of petrol and diesel variants would depend upon the market demand,’ said Kanayama, adding that the production of compact sedan would also continue at its Greater Noida plant.

In order to reduce Amaze's waiting period, Honda Cars had started third shift at its Greater Noida facility in November last year. The plant has a total capacity of 1.2 lakh cars per annum. The company, which had sold 73,000 units in 2012-13, has already sold one lakh units in the current fiscal (April 2013- January 2014).  When asked about the introduction of new models in the country, Kanayama said: ‘We will launch Mobilio (multi purpose vehicle) by the second quarter of next fiscal and Jazz before the end of the next financial year.’

Honda Motor Company Managing Officer Yoshiyuki Matsumoto  said the firm has a 12 lakh-vehicle annual  target for the  Asia Oceania region by March 2017.  ‘Honda Cars India will contribute 25 per cent of the region's sales by 2017, by selling 3 lakh cars per annum.’ The Tapukara plant, which started producing engine components in the first phase way back in 2008, will play a substantial role in HCIL’s long term growth, Matsumoto said.
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