Honda defers start of new auto plant in Yorii

Hit by falling demand amidst the global economic downturn, top automaker Honda Motor Co Ltd today announced that it would delay the start of operations of a new auto plant which is currently under construction in Yorii, Saitama, Japan.

''The start of operations of the new auto plant in Yorii was initially scheduled for 2010; however, a delay of more than one year was decided in December 2008 due to the global market slowdown which began in the latter half of last year,'' the company said in a release.

As there is no sign of market recovery on the horizon, Honda decided to delay the start of operations for at least one more year, it added.

The new auto plant in Yorii, which will employ various advanced technologies to establish high-quality and highly-efficient manufacturing systems, has been planned as a technology demonstrator. The new plant will be responsible for sharing new technologies to other Honda operations worldwide.

Honda will further advance manufacturing technologies in Japan and, once the new engine plant in Ogawa and the new auto plant in Yorii become operational, refine automobile technologies which will support the next 100 years of automobile industry.

In addition, the new auto plant in Yorii will strive to become a resource/energy-recycling Green Factory which will improve resource/energy efficiency to significantly reduce the amount of CO2 generated to produce each vehicle, it said. 

Honda, meanwhile,  is all set to launch its new hybrid car `Insight' and will launch a TV ad campaign 'Let it Shine' in April to support the launch. The advertisement is part of an integrated marketing campaign to work towards the company's aim of environmental leadership across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Russia by 2015.