Honda Civic Rolls Off Line in Indiana

Honda Motor Co. Ltd. begins mass production at its new Greensburg, IN, plant Oct. 9, with the Civic compact sedan.

The $550 million facility announced in May 2006, initially only will build Civic. At full production, the plant will produce 200,000 units annually and employ 2,000 workers, Honda says. Honda also builds the Civic for North America at its East Liberty, OH, and Alliston, ON, Canada, plants.

Honda early next year will shift production of its Alliston-built Ridgeline compact-pickup truck to its Lincoln, AL, plant to free up Civic capacity.

Greensburg currently has only one shift of 900 workers, with plans for a second shift to be added next year.

“With continued high demand for the Honda Civic, we are honored and excited to help meet the needs of our customers in North America,” Yuzo Uenohara, president of Honda Mfg. of Indiana LLC says in a statement.

Honda is building 4-door Civics with an 1.8L 140-hp 4-cyl. engine sourced from the nearby Anna, OH, engine plant, which last week completed an expansion. Honda now sources steel-engine parts from Anna, instead of Japan, via expanded iron casting and machining lines. Honda invested $138 million in the Anna expansion and added 100 jobs at the plant.