Honda Cars : Honda Canada/US: Rail strike forces Honda to cancel shift | 2013 New Honda Car Reviews 0

Space getting tight. Honda Canada has a fair bit of space on site to store new vehicles off the line, but if the CP Rail strike continues, the space could quickly fill up.

By Brad Pritchard

ALLISTON - Honda of Canada Manufacturing (HCM) in Alliston was forced to cancel one of its production shifts on Saturday (May 26) in an effort to limit the amount of completed vehicles currently being stockpiled on site due to the ongoing CP Rail strike, which is now in its sixth day. 


The overtime shift will be rescheduled to a future date once the strike has been resolved and normal outbound freight shipments resume, according to HCM spokesperson Lisa Timpf.

“We can confirm that we have adjusted some scheduled overtime to control our inventory levels,” Timpf said in an email reply. “This is production we will plan to make up at a later date, when the strike situation has been resolved. The driver for rescheduling the production overtime was to balance our storage of completed vehicles with our rate of production.”

She added the company hasn’t been forced to cutback on its weekday shifts and at this time has no further production adjustments to announce.

HCM relies on CP Rail for the majority of its outbound vehicle shipments. Rail shipments usually take place twice daily at the plant. A portion are also shipped by truck. Since the strike started last Wednesday (May 23), Timpf said the company has increased its truck shipments to help compensate. However, she said truck shipments alone wouldn’t be able to meet HCM’s output demands.

With no other shipping options available, HCM was forced to start storing its completed vehicles on site. Timpf said there is still room at the plants for more vehicles, but its unclear how long it will take for the company to reach capacity.

“We have several onsite locations that are still available,” Timpf said. “As well, although shipping by truck does not move the same volume of vehicles as shipping by rail, there are still vehicles leaving the plant.”

Last week, Labour Minister Lisa Raitt said the federal government would bring in back-to-work legislation if the union representing 4,800 workers was unable to reach a deal. The union represents locomotive engineers, conductors and other workers. As of today (Monday, May 28) talks between CP Rail and the union have broken off.

Rait estimated the strike could end up costing the country’s economy $540 million per week in lost activity.

Source;
http://www.simcoe.com/news/article/1362907--rail-strike-forces-honda-to-cancel-shift

Honda Cars : Canadian Production of the All-New 2012 Honda CR-V Begins at Honda of Canada Mfg. in Alliston, ON | 2013 New Honda Car Reviews 0

ALLISTON, ON, Jan. 23, 2012

More than 70 per cent of Honda vehicles sold in Canada will now be built in Canada

ALLISTON, ON, Jan. 23, 2012 /CNW/ - Production of the all-new 2012 Honda CR-V, Canada's top-selling import SUV, officially began today at Honda of Canada Mfg. (HCM) in Alliston, ON. With the addition of CR-V to the Ontario facility, Honda Canada's two best-selling vehicles, the Honda Civic and CR-V, are now being made in Canada by Canadians.

"The Honda CR-V has set the gold standard in the compact SUV segment and has been embraced by Canadians since it arrived here in 1997," said Jerry Chenkin, executive vice president, Honda Canada Inc. "We're proud that the all-new 2012 CR-V will be Canadian built."

The addition of the CR-V to HCM's production lineup makes it the first Honda plant in North America to produce four distinct models (Civic, CR-V, MDX and ZDX) on one line, demonstrating the flexibility and capability of HCM and its Associates.

"It certainly has been a challenging year for our 4,200 Associates at HCM," said Gilles Madore, vice president, Honda of Canada Mfg. "But with Civic being named Canada's number one-selling passenger car for the fourteenth straight year and the addition of Honda's second best-selling vehicle in Canada to our facility, we're incredibly proud of what we have accomplished and are ready to provide Canadians with a made-in-Canada CR-V."

In November 2011, Honda celebrated 25 years of manufacturing in Canada at its facilities in Alliston, Ontario. Since 1987, Honda has built close to 6 million vehicles and invested more than $2.6 billion in Canada. The company also purchases more than $1.1 billion in goods from Canadian suppliers every year.

"The inauguration of Honda's new CR-V at the Alliston plant in Ontario signals the strength of the auto sector in Ontario, new momentum for Honda and demonstrates confidence in the province's economy," said Brad Duguid, Minister of Economic Development and Innovation. "This move helps secure our position as a top auto manufacturing hub in North America and protect valuable sector jobs."

About the 2012 CR-V

For 2012, the fourth-generation Honda CR-V embraces a sophisticated styling direction in conjunction with improved interior comfort, improved fuel economy, a smoother and quieter ride, and more innovative features as part of a 'total package' approach. Long considered as a benchmark vehicle in its class with high levels of quality, refinement and value, the 2012 CR-V is designed to exceed customer expectations in Canada's compact sport-utility vehicle (SUV) segment with increased value resulting from added content and lower MSRPs across the entire CR-V lineup.

Starting at just $25,990, the all-new Honda CR-V has its lowest starting price in more than a decade.

Source;

http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/558165#ixzz1kOZt1kmV

Honda Cars : Honda to Manufacture 2012 CR-V in Canada | 2013 New Honda Car Reviews 0

Honda Canada announced today the plans for new 2012 CR-V production in Canada. Honda Canada’s move to bring the CR-V to Canada is a beneficial one. Having already built more than 5 million cars and trucks since 1986 in Canada, the Alliston, Ontario assembly plant has the right experience to start production of the new Honda CR-V.

The new 2012 Honda CR-V is the fourth generation of Honda’s already popular compact SUV. Adding features such as upscale styling direction, enhanced fuel efficiency and a “total package” approach in design, Canadians will be able to purchase a new CR-V that is, for the first time ever, manufactured in Canada.

"Our current CR-V owners and those shopping for a fully featured compact sport-utility vehicle will love the new CR-V for its dynamic styling, increased cargo space and best-in-class fuel economy," said Dave Jamieson, assistant vice president of the Honda Automobile Division at Honda Canada Inc. "And with new features such as SMS text messaging, Honda's new innovative Easy Fold-Down 60/40 Split Rear Seat and all-new Real Time All-Wheel-Drive (AWD) system with Intelligent Control, the new 2012 CR-V offers Canadians tremendous value."

Special features that Canadians should be on the lookout for with the 2012 CR-V include a Real Time All-Wheel-Drive (AWD) system with Intelligent Control, Eco Assist—an efficient operation indicator, Bluetooth capabilities, multi-angle rearview camera, and SMS text messaging.

Utilizing two vehicle assembly plants in Alliston, Ontario for production, Honda Canada sources annually $1.1 billion in Canadian supplier goods and services and, to date, has overall invested $2.6 billion in Canada.

Source;
http://www.businessreviewcanada.ca/business_leaders/honda-to-manufacture-2012-cr-v-in-canada

Honda Cars : Honda to build new CR-V in Alliston, shift MDX to Alabama | 2013 New Honda Car Reviews 0

It's a day of mixed news at Honda of Canada Manufacturing (HCM) as employees were informed this morning that the automaker's redesigned 2012 CR-V will be built in Alliston, while the Acura MDX production is transferring to Alabama in 2013.

Auto industry analysts have been speculating for months about Honda's plans for its crossover vehicle - a mix of sports utility and hatchback/station wagon. It's anticipated to make its debut later this year at the Los Angeles Auto Show, and scheduled to start appearing in dealer showrooms this fall.

Honda introduced North American CR-V production at its East Liberty, Ohio, and Mexican plant, for the 2007 model year.

"The CRV has continued to gain in market share, and is the second-highest-selling Honda vehicle in terms of Honda Canada's sales, " noted Lisa Timpf, HCM's Manager of Associates, in an email to Free Press Online. "By producing the CRV and Civic at HCM, we will be building in Canada more than 50 per cent (by volume) of the products Honda Canada sells."

However, that news was tempered by the continuing production slow downs due to the parts situation as a result of the Japan earthquake and tsunami.

"We anticipate the adjustments will need to continue through the summer months, and have identified the detailed schedule for May and June 2011," wrote Ms. Timpf. "This includes (now that we know it's a longer term picture) running non-production days on Mondays and Fridays through May at all HCM plants. For the majority of these days, Associates continue to have the option to work, or to take time off. For one of these days, Associates will be asked to take time off only, but we are providing some flexibility for coverage by pulling ahead a bonus normally paid out in June, and allowing them to convert it into floater days if they wish, to use to cover non production time. So we are trying to minimize the impact on Associates by giving them options.

During the month of June (starting June 6), Plant 1 and Engine Plant will go to one shift, to allow us to use some of the manpower freed up to cover vacation and work on key business activities.

All Associates will still continue to work, so condensing to one shift is simply an issue of re-allocating manpower. Plant 2 will have a similar schedule to May (ie Mondays and Fridays designated as non production days), and will continue to operate on two shifts. Plant 1 and Engine Plant will work 8 hour days on one shift throughout June, with the exception of two Fridays where all HCM Associates will be asked to exercise one of their time off options (vacation, floater, unpaid, etc. at their choice)."

HCM employs more than 4,200 people at its two assembly plants in Alliston.

Source;

http://www.madhunt.com/honda-crv-allistn-20110502.html

Honda Cars : Honda altering production schedule in Alliston | 2013 New Honda Car Reviews 0

Reducation expected to continue until May 6
By Marg. Bruineman, the Barrie Examiner

Reduced daily production levels at Honda Canada's Alliston facility has been extended as a result of a parts shortage from the earthquake-ravaged Japan.

"Production adjustments continue until May 6, although adjustments vary," said Honda's Lori Van Valkenburg in Alliston. "All associates have the opportunity to work their entire shift and work is being provided for them."

They also have the option of taking vacation time or time without no pay with no penalty.
On Monday, she said, associates worked six hours in production in the weld department in Plant 2.

But the expectations are that everything will return to normal after that.

"We anticipate that additional production adjustments will continue after that date," the company announced in a press statement.

The car builder has reduced the number of cars it builds as a result of last month's devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan. The natural disaster, which has claimed about 14,000 lives, impacted both the car builder and its suppliers in Japan.

Most of the cars supplied to the North American market are built in North America. And a majority of the parts are sourced here.

About 4,200 people work at Honda Canada's Alliston facility, which has two car-building plants and an engine plant.

The bulk of production are Honda Civics (sedan, coupe, and Si sedan & coupe) along with the Acura MDX, Acura ZDX, Acura CSX.

But some of the parts are shipped in from Japan, where several companies are struggling to get back to production. As a result, there's limited supply of parts available for car building in Alliston.

Honda's car building plants in Japan all resumed limited production last week, operating at about 50% capacity.

Source;
http://www.thebarrieexaminer.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3080274