Honda Alabama opens new logistics buildings in $85 million project
Honda Manufacturing of Alabama has officially opened its new logistics buildings, an $85 million project that further deepens the automaker’s roots in Talladega County, as well as its significant imprint on the state’s economy. The new facilities add nearly 400,000 square feet to Honda’s existing 4.2 million-square-foot factory in Lincoln, where more than 4,500 workers build the Odyssey minivan, Pilot SUV, Ridgeline pickup and the V-6 engines that power all three models for customers around the world. “Our new logistics operations represent an $85 million investment in our operations, as well as continued investment in our associates, our products and in customer satisfaction,” said Mike Oatridge, HMA vice president. “This new space will help us better streamline our logistics operations, which will result in improved parts delivery, improved quality and improved organization across our production lines.” The new logistics facilities are mirror-image buildings at both Line 1 and Line 2. They are part of a multiphased project dedicated to the enhancement and revitalization of Honda operations in Alabama. “I’m excited to see these new buildings come alive,” HMA President Tsutomu Morimoto said. Commerce Secretary Greg Canfield speaks at a grand opening ceremony for the new logistics buildings at Honda’s Alabama factory. (contributed/Alabama Newscenter) ‘Setting the standard’ Alabama Secretary of Commerce Greg Canfield joined company officials in cutting the ribbon on the expansion. He praised employees for Honda’s success in the state, growing from an initial $400 million investment in 2001 to more than $2.6 billion today. “You guys here have been a vital part of the fabric of the automotive sector that is growing very rapidly in our state,” he said. Canfield also cited Accelerate Alabama, the state’s strategic plan for economic development. One of the plan’s key drivers is supporting the growth of existing companies in the state. HMA’s latest investments in technology that will prepare the facility and workforce for future models are exactly the kind of growth from within that Accelerate Alabama promotes, he said. “Honda is a brand that people across the globe recognize, respect and desire to own, and you are setting the standard for that quality and excellence right here in Alabama,” Canfield said. “We’re looking forward to the continued investment that occurs here.” Alabama Commerce Secretary Greg Canfield, flanked by Honda Alabama workers and officials, cuts the ribbon on the company’s new $85 million logistics buildings. (contributed/Alabama Newscenter) Additional investment More growth is on the way. Last week, HMA announced an additional $54.8 million investment to improve weld operations at Line 2. This expansion, which will add more than 50,000 square feet, is expected to be completed in early 2021. When combined with the 2017 investment announcements for the Line 1 and Line 2 logistics facilities and other investments, HMA has taken on additions of more than 425,000 square feet to its production operations, along with an investment of about $150 million. A University of Alabama analysis shows HMA has an estimated $6.8 billion economic impact in the state. Republished with the permission of the Alabama Newscenter.
Honda to invest $54.8 million in Alabama expansion project
Honda Manufacturing of Alabama continues to grow its operations in Talladega County, with a multi-phase project that will improve flexibility, strengthen efficiency and prepare for future technologies. The latest phase announced by the automaker is a $54.8 million expansion that will add more than 50,000 square feet at Honda Alabama’s Line 2 operations. The expansion is expected to be completed in early 2021. When combined with last year’s investment announcements for both the Line 1 and Line 2 facilities, Honda Alabama will add more than 425,000 square feet to its production operations for a combined investment of about $150 million. “Honda is a cornerstone of Alabama’s vibrant automotive industry,” said Greg Canfield, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce. “The company continues to show confidence in its local workforce, with new investments that fuel innovative technologies sought by customers around the world.” Economic impact Honda has more than 4,500 employees at its $2.6 billion plant in Lincoln, which has the capacity to produce more than 340,000 vehicles and engines each year. Its lineup includes the Odyssey minivan, Pilot SUV and Ridgeline pickup, as well as the V-6 engines that power all three models. Last year, workers built a record number of Pilots as part of a total output of 357,316 minivans, sport utility vehicles, pickup trucks and V-6 engines. The factory has an annual estimated economic impact in the state of $6.8 billion, according to a University of Alabama analysis. Republished with the permission of the Alabama Newscenter.
Alabama metro ranks No. 1 for manufacturing jobs, analysis says
The Talladega-Sylacauga Micropolitan Statistical Area was rated the best place in the U.S. for manufacturing jobs in a detailed analysis by SmartAsset, a financial technology company that studied data on nearly 500 cities. SmartAsset singled out the high concentration of well-paying manufacturing jobs in the Talladega-Sylacauga area in its analysis. Here’s what the firm says about the micropolitan: “A large chunk of the workforce in this Alabama metro area work in manufacturing – just over 39 percent. Only three other metro areas in this study can beat this stat. “Manufacturing jobs here also pay pretty well, especially when you consider the area’s average housing costs. We estimate the average manufacturing worker earns $58,461 after accounting for housing costs.” The Talladega-Sylacauga micropolitan area consists of Talladega and Coosa counties, with a total population of around 93,000. The area’s top employer is Honda Manufacturing of Alabama, which operates an auto assembly plant in Lincoln with more than 4,500 workers. “Alabama has a strong heritage in manufacturing, and it remains an important pillar in the state’s economy,” said Greg Canfield, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce. “Alabamians have the expertise to produce top-class products that are in high demand around the world, and the workers in the Talladega-Sylacauga area are especially good at it.” Manufacturing workers in Alabama total more than 260,000, representing more than 13 percent of the state’s workforce. That’s the fifth-highest concentration among the states, according to data from the National Association of Manufacturers. Rising incomes To identify the best places to work in manufacturing, New York-based SmartAsset looked at data for 483 metro areas in the United States. Specifically, the firm looked at data on employment growth in manufacturing, income growth in manufacturing, density of manufacturing jobs and housing costs. The number of manufacturing jobs in the Talladega-Sylacauga micropolitan area expanded by 3.4 percent in the past year, reaching 39.4 percent of total jobs, according to SmartAsset’s data. Incomes, meanwhile, climbed 6.2 percent over the year. The area’s annual income after housing figure of $58,461 was second-highest among cities making the list’s Top 25, and it was more than $10,000 higher than the city ranking just behind it on the overall list. “Manufacturers rely on the skills of their workers for success, and the talents of manufacturing workers in the Talladega-Sylacauga region are highlighted by this impressive ranking,” said Ed Castile, deputy Commerce secretary and director of AIDT, the state’s primary job training agency. After the Talladega-Sylacauga micropolitan, other areas rounding out the Top 5 on SmartAsset’s list of the top places for manufacturing were: Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, South Carolina Ogden-Clearfield, Utah Rockford, Illinois Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, Kentucky The Talladega-Sylacauga area ranked No. 11 in the 2016 installment of the SmartAsset analysis. This story originally appeared on the Alabama Department of Commerce’s Made in Alabama website. Republished with permission from the Alabama NewsCenter.
All-new Honda Odyssey rolls off Alabama assembly line
On the same site where it broke ground for its first Alabama auto plant 17 years ago to the day, Honda Manufacturing of Alabama (HMA) rolled out the first of the latest model of the Odyssey minivan produced at the plant. More than 1,500 associates at the plant celebrated the start of mass production of the 2018 Odyssey, slated to go on sale this spring at Honda dealerships nationwide. HMA is the exclusive manufacturer of the popular minivan. “This is a celebration for our entire Honda team of associates who have been committed to bringing an all-new, high-tech, family-friendly Odyssey to our customers,” said Jeff Tomko, president of HMA. “I congratulate all of our associates for their commitment to quality for this new vehicle, which ushers in a new level of features and functionality with the goal of creating new value for our customers.” In addition to the Odyssey, the Alabama plant is the sole producer of the Pilot SUV and Ridgeline pickup truck, which was named 2017 North American Truck of the Year at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. HMA also builds the Acura MDX luxury SUV and the V-6 engines that power each vehicle. The 2018 Odyssey is the fourth generation to be built in Alabama, and the second generation of Odyssey to be designed and developed in the United States. Honda broke ground on its first Alabama plant on April 25, 2000, and started production in the plant on Nov. 14, 2001. Since then, it has added a second plant on the site and produced more than 4 million vehicles and engines. “With the introduction of the new Odyssey, Honda has achieved yet another milestone in Alabama, demonstrating that the state’s dedicated and skilled workforce can meet the highest standards of the world’s greatest companies,” said Steve Sewell, executive vice president of the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama. “Honda has not only had an enormous impact on Alabama’s economy over the last 15 years, its success has helped the state earn a reputation as a top business location.” Several new technologies and production improvements exist in the new Odyssey, including a new process for installing acoustic spray foam in 14 locations within the vehicle body, making the cabin even quieter. Odyssey has been the most popular minivan in America in every year since 2010 and is leading again this year. Americans have purchased more than 2.5 million Odyssey minivans since its 1994 debut. New features in the 2018 Odyssey include: Magic Slide Seat, a second-row seating system that can be easily configured for passengers or cargo and easy access to third-row seating. CabinWatch, which uses an infrared camera to allow the driver and front passenger to keep tabs on rear passengers both day and night with an 8-inch screen. CabinTalk enables the driver to talk to second- and third-row passengers through the second- and third-row speakers and wireless rear entertainment system headphones. CabinControl App allows passengers to use their smartphone to control the rear entertainment system, rear cabin heat and air conditioning, and send destinations to the embedded Honda navigation system. Republished with permission of Alabama NewsCenter.
Honda Alabama expansion project launches with $85M first phase
Honda continues to build on its massive investment in Alabama and today announced a plan to spend an additional $85 million at its Talladega County auto manufacturing plant. The money will be used for the first of a multi-phase project to improve vehicle manufacturing flexibility, strengthen the logistic efficiency for future models and prepare for future technologies, the company said. “This significant financial investment in our Lincoln facility will enhance Honda’s manufacturing efficiency and flexibility to help us meet strong customer demand for our products and prepare us for future opportunities in our industry,” said Jeff Tomko, president of Honda Manufacturing of Alabama.It includes a building expansion at the south end of Line 1 for vehicle assembly operations. Construction for this initial phase of the project is expected to be complete in 2018. The $2.2 billion, 3.7 million-square-foot plant in Lincoln has sole responsibility for production of Honda’s Odyssey minivan, Pilot SUV and Ridgeline pickup, as well as production of the Acura MDX luxury SUV. Workers at the plant also build the V-6 engines that power each vehicle, and the facility has the capacity to produce 340,000 vehicles and engines each year. “Honda has been a powerful economic engine in Alabama, creating thousands of well-paying jobs and new levels of opportunity for residents in Talladega County and across the state,” said Greg Canfield, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce.Honda’s Alabama assembly center employs more than 4,500 workers and has attracted a network of almost 30 Tier One suppliers that employ an additional 7,600 people. The plant has an estimated annual economic impact on the state of $6.8 billion, according to a University of Alabama analysis. “Honda has found a home in Alabama, expanding repeatedly to boost output and add capabilities,” he added. “We’ll work hard to keep this fruitful partnership going strong.” Rising investment Earlier this year, Honda’s Alabama operations were in the spotlight at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, where the redesigned 2018 Odyssey was unveiled. The updated Odyssey raises the stakes for family-friendly packaging, performance and technology in the minivan segment. Also in Detroit, the Alabama-made Ridgeline was named the 2017 North American Truck of the Year. The latest $85 million investment brings HMA’s total capital investment since 2011 to more than $750 million. The company has also added more than 450 employees during that time. This story originally appeared on the Alabama Department of Commerce’s Made in Alabama website. Republished with permission of Alabama NewsCenter.
