Honda North Carolina Manufacturing now exclusive U.S. ATV manufacturer
Honda North Carolina Manufacturing (NCM) recently celebrated 40 years of production in the Tar Heel State with a ribbon cutting for new weld and paint operations for its ATVs. These improvements are part of a $21.5 million investment that will complete the establishment of NCM as the exclusive manufacturing facility for Honda ATVs in North America. Honda also announced that NCM will become the first Honda production facility in the North American region to manufacture future electrified Honda powersports and power equipment products.
Kazuhiro Takizawa, president and CEO, and Bob Nelson, executive vice president of American Honda Motor Co., Inc., joined NCM associates and guests in a ceremony to officially open the new weld and paint operations at the Swepsonville facility. This completes the transfer of ATV production from Honda South Carolina Manufacturing (SCM) in Timmonsville, to NCM. SCM will be focused exclusively on the production of side-by-side vehicles. Last year, SCM expanded production of Honda side-by-side models and celebrated 25 years of production in Timmonsville.
“Our decision to make North Carolina the home for Honda ATVs today and our electrified powersports and power equipment products of tomorrow is based on the 40-year commitment of Honda associates in the Tar Heel State to build quality Honda products for our customers,” said Mark Kohls, vice president of Honda Powersports and Products, American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
Over the past four decades, NCM associates have continually evolved their production capabilities to build a variety of Honda products and meet customer needs, starting with lawnmowers in 1984, followed by snow blowers, string trimmers, mini-tillers, water pumps, generators, and general-purpose engines. In 2023, NCM added ATVs to its production lineup, launching a new powersports era at the longtime power equipment facility. Current NCM ATV production includes the popular Honda FourTrax series and TRX sport models.
“For more than 40 years, Honda associates in North Carolina have produced high-quality power equipment products to meet the needs of our customers,” said Lynne Hedrick, site lead at Honda North Carolina Manufacturing. “With complete ATV production capabilities now operational, we’re excited about the future of Honda powersports manufacturing in Swepsonville.”
NCM began power equipment production in North Carolina on August 6, 1984, as the third Honda manufacturing plant in America, producingwalk-behindd lawnmowers. In 1993, Honda established a new research and development center in an adjacent facility dedicated to power equipment products.
NCM, a nearly 650,000-square-foot facility, represents a current capital investment of $416.5 million. In 40 years, NCM has built more than 50 million products.
As part of NCM’s ongoing community support, Honda and the Honda USA Foundation have contributed over $1.15 million this year to local North Carolina programs and organizations. This includes the company’s support of education and environmental programs for The Foundation for North Carolina A&T State University, and the Honda USA Foundation’s support of Triangle Bikeworks’ Youth Biking for Environment Sustainability program. During the anniversary week, Honda associates will help the local community by hosting an onsite snack pack and school kit packing event to benefit the Salvation Army.
