Honda Manufacturing of Indiana, LLC (HMIN) today celebrated a major milestone in the construction of the company's new vehicle assembly plant here with the installation of the final structural steel beam for the $550 million plant.
The traditional "topping out" ceremony marked the completion of the erection of more than 15,300 tons of structural steel on the project in about four months. The "topping out" beam, decorated with an evergreen tree and U.S. flag, is a long-standing tradition of American steelworkers signifying a major milestone in the construction project. More than 15,300 tons of structural steel has been placed since the groundbreaking for HMIN in May 2007.
Additional "mile markers" since the start of construction on the HMIN project include:
- More than 8 million cubic yards of earth moved to date, including creation of seven retention lakes;
- 105,000 linear feet of steel pilings driven;
- 60,000 cubic yards of concrete poured; and
- 115,000 linear feet of underground pipe installed.
- One million safe hours representing the total work hours completed without lost time by workers due to injury or accident.
"Today, Honda takes another step on the journey to creating a world-class production facility here in the heart of Indiana," said Jay Sturwold, construction project manager for Honda Manufacturing of Indiana, LLC. "Teams of workers representing many different trades have brought us to this point, a fitting reminder of the teamwork that will soon thrive inside the walls we have constructed."
Honda has designed the Greensburg facility to be a flexible, efficient and environmentally responsible auto manufacturing facility. Once the plant reaches its annual capacity of 200,000 vehicles, about 2,000 HMIN associates will produce* fuel-efficient 4-cylinder Honda Civics. Production begins in fall 2008.
Major operations at Greensburg will include stamping, welding, painting, plastic injection molding, sub-assembly and final assembly, testing, quality assurance and shipping. The HMIN facility will occupy a parcel of about 1,700 acres on the west edge of Greensburg near Interstate 74.
HMIN will be Honda's seventh auto plant in North America and one of 17 major Honda manufacturing facilities in North America. It will help to boost Honda's total North American automobile production capacity from 1.4 million units to more than 1.6 million units in 2008, employment in North America to more than 37,000 associates and capital investment in North America to more than $9 billion.
Honda began U.S. sales operations in 1959, the company's first overseas subsidiary. Honda began U.S. production operations in 1979 and began building cars in the U.S. in 1982, making 2007 the 25th anniversary of Honda auto production in America.
* Honda products are produced using domestic and globally-sourced parts.
