Area Development
Honda plans to add 200 new manufacturing jobs and mark its 30th anniversary with a $200 million investment in its Russells Point, Ohio, transmission plant and Anna, Ohio, engine plant.

"For 30 years, Honda associates in our U.S. auto plants have challenged themselves and set high standards to create products that meet the needs of our customers here and in markets around the world," said Tetsuo Iwamura, president and CEO of American Honda Motor Co., Inc., and chief operating officer of North American Regional Operations. "We continue to invest in our associates, helping to keep our operations in America on the leading edge of quality, efficiency and flexibility."

"Honda's U.S. responsibilities have matured into global capabilities for manufacturing, R&D and engineering," said Rick Schostek, senior vice president, Honda of America Mfg., Inc. "As we begin to take on a larger role within global Honda to meet the needs of customers around the world, this is the right moment to reflect on the great accomplishment by our team of associates in Ohio in Honda's first 30 years of U.S. auto production."

In the coming years, Honda operations in North America will take on new responsibilities for the mass production launch of global Honda models. Honda associates in North America will help set the standards for production processes for key global products that also are made in other regions and then share their knowledge and expertise to support Honda plants all around the globe, the auto maker said.

As part of this new global lead role, Honda also will increase exports from North America to global markets. Later this year, Honda will reach the one million mark in total automobile exports from the U.S. Honda also is increasing its export of major auto parts by almost 70 percent this year in support of Honda plants in South America, Europe and Asia. This will be a substantial increase in business for North American suppliers that will grow even greater in the coming years, a firm added. With the latest $200 million investment at the Anna Engine Plant and Honda Transmission Manufacturing, Honda's U.S. capital investment exceeds $12.5 billion.

Over the years an estimated $26.9 million in direct incentives were provided by the state, including $22 million in investment grants and $2.9 million in job training assistance. Local and federal highway development grants were also provided.