Swepsonville, NC -- August 5 -- Honda Power Equipment
Manufacturing Inc. announced Wednesday it will invest $8.5 million in its
Swepsonville facility to begin making a new snow blower by next year and
prepare for the production of a new portable generator.
The announcement came as part of a Honda event to celebrate the
30th anniversary of the plant, which produces a
wide variety of outdoor power equipment including lawn mowers, string trimmers,
snow blowers, water pumps and general purpose engines.
As the popular song "Happy" played in the background
before the 10 a.m. presentation began, throngs of employees donning white
uniforms and safety glasses waited with anticipation as Honda officials, Gov. Pat McCrory, N.C. Commerce Secretary Sharon Decker and state Sen.Rick Gunn took
the stage at the massive 375,000-square-foot facility.
The plant employs more than 620 full-time associates and 340
contract associates. The $8.5 million investment is not expected to immediately
require the addition of new jobs. But J.R. Cunningham, the company's senior manager
of compliance and risk management, said there is potential for additional jobs,
although he said it is "too early to tell at this time."
Cunningham did say that production on Honda's new snow blower should
begin at the Swepsonville facility "in a little over a year." He said
there is no precise timeline on when exactly production will begin on Honda's
new, small portable generator, but did say that market potential for the
product is high, adding that the product can be used for everything from
camping to tailgating to inclement weather.
"People would use those in emergencies or to power some
lights in your house," Cunningham said. "It will be small, it will be
portable, two people will be able to pick it up and put it in the back of a
trailer or car."
During the presentation, McCrory said he met with the management
team of Honda this morning to talk about several issues, including making sure
North Carolina continues to be business friendly the quality of training and
education provided by local community college.
McCrory said Honda officials told him "the talent is No.1
right here in Alamance County" and that the company would not have made
this investment without the strong employee base.
McCrory joked that he had to take some credit for the
investment, adding that during the 16 months he has been governor, the state
had the "three worst snowstorms in North Carolina history so what better
place to build more snow blowers and generators than right here in North
Carolina?"
The additional investment comes 30 years after Honda's first
lawnmower rolled off the facility's assembly line. The original model produced
in August 1984 sat adjacent to the company's 30 millionth lawnmower produced
last year at the facility. Honda Power Equipment products are assembled at 11
Honda manufacturing facilities around the world.
Honda, the parent company of Honda Power Equipment, continues to
invest in the Triad and North Carolina as locations for its subsidiary companies.
Honda Aircraft Co. is
making of a lightweight HondaJet at the Piedmont
Triad International Airport in
Greensboro and Honda Aero in Burlington is making the HondaJet's engines.
American Honda Finance Co., which provides financing to consumers who buy Honda
products, is also located in Charlotte,
Takuji Yamada, Honda COO of North American Regional Operations,
noted this, saying that Honda is well known for its automobile business and
will soon begin its aviation business with the small lightweight jet being
produced at PTI.
"In my view we are all part of one Honda family that I like
to call Team Honda," he said.
After the presentation was over, it was right back to work for
the employees, who quickly moved to their stations and showed off the products
being made in Swepsonville. There was literally a buzz in the air as machines
cranked, engines moved down the conveyor belt and the smell of oil and gas
filled the air on a facility tour.
Alamance County Chamber of Commerce President Mac Williams, who also was in
attendance, said Honda is among the largest manufacturing companies in Alamance
County and that Honda officials often tout the area and meet with potential
businesses that are also considering the county for operations.
"They are always very happy and willing to do that,"
Williams said. "They have got a good story to tell about their
experience."
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