Japanese Parts Paralysis: Honda Extends Half Steam Production Into May

Bertel Schmitt
by Bertel Schmitt

Honda sources the vast majority of parts and materials needed for North American production in North America. “However, for global efficiency, a few critical parts continue to be supplied from Japan,” says Honda in a statement. Honda restarted production of component parts for North American plants Monday, April 4 at several Honda plants in Japan. However, those need their own parts and supplies. Therefore, Honda’s component production in Japan continues to run at approximately 50 percent of the original production plan.

This of course impacts North American production. Honda announced that North American plants will continue to run at half steam through May 6 2011. Production levels at these plants had been throttled down on March 30, and this is how it will stay for a while.

The following Honda cars are being built in North America:

Marysville, Ohio: Honda Accord, Honda Accord Coupe, Acura TL, Acura RDX


East Liberty, Ohio: Honda CR-V, Honda Element, Honda Accord Crosstour


Greensburg, Ind.: Honda Civic Sedan, Honda Civic GX natural gas


Lincoln, Alabama: Honda Odyssey, Honda Pilot, Honda Ridgeline


Alliston, Ontario: Honda Civic (Sedan, Coupe, Si) Acura MDX, Acura ZDX, Acura CSX (The CSX is sold only in Canada)


El Salto, Mexico: Honda CR-V

The following Honda cars are built in Japan for the North American market

Honda Fit, Insight, CR-Z, Civic Hybrid, Acura TSX and Acura RL.

Honda produces a small percentage of CR-Vs in Japan for the U.S. as well.

Bertel Schmitt
Bertel Schmitt

Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.

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 8 comments
  • Dimwit Dimwit on Apr 16, 2011

    Bertel, has there been any rumours of new power plants being built to ease the strain? Granted, it won't be overnight but at least it would show that something will be done. If not, survival of the companies themselves would dictate that they move the production out of there entirely. This can't last more than a few months without serious damage happening.

  • Syke Syke on Apr 16, 2011

    Love that picture: 58or 59 Chevy truck, a C100 Super Cub and a (I believe) CA92 Benly Touring 125 in the back. Got me inspired to go out to the shop and get working on the '69 Super 90 to have it ready to run by the end of the month.

    • See 2 previous
    • Fincar1 Fincar1 on Apr 17, 2011

      @poltergeist Yep - '60 or 61 Chevrolet, not GMC. I had a 60 Chevy like that in about 1972 or so. That's a great photo, props for finding it.

  • John Horner John Horner on Apr 17, 2011

    Many companies seem to have forgotten the disciplines of risk management and alternate sourcing.

    • Whynotaztec Whynotaztec on Apr 17, 2011

      Speaking for my ex-employer in the Fortune 100 with factories all over the globe, all I can say is they certainly talked a good game about alternate sources and risk management. but when push came to shove, for instance, spending half a million or more to qualify an alternate source for a small but critical item, that was the end of it. there simply were not enough resources to address the 'what-ifs.' and we went through disaster scenarios, but the reality is, if your plant is surrounded by water and half your employees are dead, what are you going to do? are critical personnel really going to answer their mobile in the midst of a genuine disaster? on a more selfish note, what will the impact be on these great accord lease deals that i think expire in early may?

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