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More Jobs at Honda Swindon Plant

In 2007, as the demand in Europe for the different Honda Civic models is rising more and more, the company will create 700 more jobs at the plant in Swindon, UK. This brings the total workers amount to 4,900. The Japanese cars giant is also raising the production from 190,000 to 250,000 cars next year. The Swindon plant will also produce the new CV-R model, which was launched at the Paris Motor Show.

Takeo Fukui, Honda`s president and chief executive said: "We plan to increase output of both the CR-V and the Civic in our Swindon, UK plant from next spring, taking Swindon up to its full capacity of 250,000 units on a yearly basis, within 2007". The Swindon plant, which celebrated 20 years this year, will also undergo some changes, improving the work process and optimizing the technologies, involving new specialists and maintenance engineers.

According to general secretary of the Amicus union, which represents most of the workers, Derek Simpson, said the expansion had proven that "car companies don`t have to move abroad to be profitable". As announced by Honda, new Civic Type R, that was already launched, will be manufactured alongside the Type S Sierra range at the Swindon plant as well. From January until August 2006, Honda sold in Europe more three and five door Civic models than in all the 12 month of the previous year.