Honda’s 500 new workers recuited to produce the next generation Civic car were today beginning their first shifts at the Swindon plant.
The new recruits take the total number of employees at Honda of the UK Manufacturing (HUM) – the Japanese group’s Swindon-based car and engine production business – to 3,500. Car production is now forecast to double to 180,000 units this year.
HUM director Andy Piatek said, “I am delighted to welcome our new associates (workers). At HUM we are proud of the skills of our workforce and the quality and reliability of the products we build.”
One of the new recruits Dan Smith spoke about his excitement at starting work at Honda.
He said: “I am really looking forward to building the new Civic here at HUM. Over the past few months we have been through all kinds of training and now it’s finally time to get started.”
As well as the new Civic and the successful Jazz, mass production of the new European CR-V and the introduction of a new small diesel engine will start this year at HUM.
Speaking last December, Honda Motor Europe president Manabu Nishimae said Honda remained totally committed to building cars and engines in Europe with Swindon at the heart of Honda's European manufacturing activities.
This move to a two shift pattern on Line 2 represents a further step in HUM’s increased production activity, and coincides with growing demand for Honda’s new Civic family hatchback.
