Honda begins operation after 3 years of waiting

While Ford claims to be determined to close the ABC factory, Honda starts this Wednesday, 27, with a three-year delay compared to the original plan, unit operations of Itirapina (SP). The first models Fit made in new line also start to be billed on Wednesday. The second group plant in the country is ready from 2016. To the beginning of operations in only one inning, Honda transferred 500 factory workers of Sumaré, that is 100 km, and has no plans to hire local personnel. "In the future we will have a ceremony of inauguration, but will be symbolic," says the President of Honda in South America, Abdul Mizoguchi. Normally the inauguration of a car factory is made with a lot of pomp and several guests. When announced in 2013 the new plant, a project of R $1 billion, Honda has triggered a wave of interested in race between 17000 townspeople, who sent résumés and made courses in Senai site. The expectation was to generate 2000 jobs when operated at maximum capacity of 120,000 cars per year in two shifts. Slowly after the crisis which overthrew the Brazilian market of 3.7 million vehicles in 2013 to 2 million in 2016, the plans were changed. Since then, the industry recovery continues slowly, but keep the plant closed was expensive. The group will transfer 2000 Sumaré employees over the next two years, during which time you will have the entire production of the Fit models, City, Civic, HR-V and WR-V in Itirapina. "About 92% of employees have accepted the transfer," said Mizoguchi. At the Sumaré, opened in 1997 and who had been operating at full capacity, will be maintained the production of engines, bumpers and parts. The goal is to increase the nationalization of components of the cars of the brand, this 60%. Mizoguchi does not report whether the profitable subsidiary. Just says the situation "for now, it's bearable". In 2018, the repeated sales of 2017, of 131,000 units, in a market that grew by 13.8%.