Honda to build new engine plant in Alliston, Ontario

Toronto, Ontario – Honda Canada announced it will build a new engine plant in Alliston, Ontario, the company’s third manufacturing facility in that province. Scheduled to open in 2008, the new engine plant will be located on a site neighbouring Honda’s two existing manufacturing facilities that produce 390,000 vehicles annually. At full capacity, the new engine plant will produce approximately 200,000 four-cylinder engines a year, supporting Honda Canada built vehicles. Honda will commit an additional $154 million and 340 new jobs.

“Today’s announcement supports Honda’s global strategic manufacturing focus of bringing manufacturing and sales operations to the local market to better respond to customer needs,” said Hiroshi Kobayashi, president and chief executive officer, Honda Canada Inc.

“Honda has a world-wide reputation for tremendous quality and continuous innovation. Canada and Canadian workers share that reputation, and I’m very pleased that Honda has recognized that by investing in a new Alliston engine plant,” said Maxime Bernier, Minister of Industry. “Today’s announcement represents not only the direct creation of hundreds of new manufacturing jobs, but also hundreds of other new jobs in the construction and auto parts sectors
as the plant is built and comes on-line.”

“Honda’s unique greenfield investment in Alliston is one more vote of
confidence in our province and another boost for Ontarians who rely on a strong auto industry for their prosperity and quality of life,” said Joseph Cordiano, Ontario Economic Development and Trade Minister.

In addition to the Canadian engine plant, Honda announced a new auto production plant in the United States with a capacity of approximately
200,000 units. Plant operation is scheduled to begin in 2008 and site
selection has already entered its final stage. Expansion of the U.S. engine, transmission and powertrain component production in Ohio and Georgia is also part of corporate initiatives announced in a wider global strategy in Japan yesterday. As a result, North American automobile production capacity will increase from 1.4 million to 1.6 million units in 2008.