Honda Celebrates 25 Years of Production at Marysville

To the delight of those in attendance, an original Elsinore motorcycle was started and used as part of a re-enactment of the 1979 line-off ceremony to celebrate Honda of America Mfg.’s 25 years of manufacturing in Marysville, Ohio.
“Honda’s simple vision was to build products close to the customer,” Takeo Fukui, Honda Motor Co.’s president and CEO, said of the decision to begin manufacturing in America. “In Ohio, we have built a solid foundation that has grown throughout North America and the world.”
Kazuo Nakagawa, the company’s first president who rode the Elsinore in the original ceremony, attended the anniversary ceremony.
In 1981, Honda was the first Japanese automaker to produce automobiles in America. Today, Honda has five plants in Ohio, along with a major R&D center and other operations that have become its North American hub for purchasing, supplier logistics and parts exports. Honda’s Ohio employment has grown from 64 associates in 1979 to more than 16,000.
Business partnerships have extended Honda’s impact. Honda’s plants purchased $12.6 billion in parts from more than 600 suppliers in North America last year, and more than half was spent with 175 Ohio suppliers.
Using domestic and globally sourced parts, last year Honda of America produced 677,000 Honda and Acura vehicles, as well as 108,500 motorcycles and ATVs and 1.1 million auto engines.
Honda’s North American Employment now totals more than 30,000 associates at the company’s 12 North American manufacturing plants, three major R&D centers and dozens of other sales, parts and related facilities.