HONDA resuming regular motorcycle production at Kumamoto Factory from August, 22

Honda Kumamoto Factory, which is their motorcycle manufacturing base resumed regular production on August 22.

Due to the serious damage caused by 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake, motorcycle production at Kumamoto Factory had been partially suspended. They gradually restarted assembling major models from June 6, and now are resuming entire operations including the large model production.

General-purpose finished products, such as generators have been manufactured in a small quantity since May 13.
They are also currently preparing their production system of mini-vehicle engine parts to be resumed by partially
transferring to Suzuka Factory.

Message Sent Through Suzuka 8 Hours

Honda Kumamoto factory employees Racing teams, such as “Honda Ryokuyoukai Kumamoto Racing with Kumamon”,”Honda Blue Helmet MSC Kumamoto&Asaka” , and “JAPAN POST Honda Kumamoto Racing”, participated Suzuka 8 Hours which was taken place in Mie Prefecture.
They hoped to show people in Japan that they are doing well and to encourage people who are affected by the earthquake.

Quoted from Press Release

Update on Production Status of Kumamoto Factory

TOKYO, Japan, August 24 – Honda Motor Co., Ltd. has been making a company-wide and all-out effort to resume production at its Kumamoto Factory affected by the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake. As per the original target to restore the plant by mid-August, Honda is now ready to resume production at Kumamoto Factory.

After the earthquake, production at Kumamoto Factory was suspended from the night of April 14. On May 6, the factory resumed the supply of parts for Honda production operations outside of Japan, and then on May 13, the factory resumed assembly of power products. As for the worst affected motorcycle production, the factory resumed assembly of key models at a reduced volume on June 6, and since then the volume has increased in stages. Now, the FUN line, a production line for large-sized motorcycle models, is ready to resume production. As a result, overall production at Kumamoto Factory was virtually normalized as of August 22, 2016.

Moreover, Yokkaichi Factory of Yachiyo Industry Co., Ltd., where Honda mini-vehicles are produced, has been producing at a partially reduced volume since April 22, due to the interruption in supply of mini-vehicle engine parts which were being produced at Honda’s Kumamoto Factory. It was expected to take approximately half a year to normalize the mini-vehicle production at Yokkaichi Factory. However, Honda is currently preparing its production system to stabilize engine parts supply at the earliest possible time by partially transferring mini-vehicle engine parts production from Kumamoto Factory to Suzuka Factory.

Honda will continue to wish for the earliest possible recovery of the affected area and make the utmost effort to deliver our products to customers who are waiting for our products.

Original Source [ HONDA ] (*Japanese)