On Monday, Honda announced it would move to a four day, 10 hour-a-day work week for most associates beginning in January. Photo courtesy of Honda Manufacturing of Alabama
The company is preparing to add the Acura MDX to its vehicle lineup as well as additional Pilot production.
To accommodate these changes, Honda is shifting its production schedule. In January, the plant will move to a two-shift work schedule of four, 10-hour days a week for most vehicle assembly operations. The Monday through Thursday shifts will operate from 6 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. – 4:30 a.m. Fridays will be open for overtime work, as necessary. Honda’s current day and night shifts operate on five, eight-hour days per week. Employees will continue to rotate from day to night shift on a two-week schedule.
Morrison said these improvements will enhance production flexibility for engine assembly operations and support equipment innovation that is required for the addition of Pilot production on the Line 1 assembly line.
“At Honda, we've seen our sales improve, especially an increase in the products we make in Alabama – the Odyssey, Pilot and Ridgeline,” Morrison said. “As we prepare to add production next year of the Acura MDX into our operations, it is critical that we can meet the increase in customer demand with speed and overall flexibility. This new flexible production schedule will allow us to do just that. We have to have the flexibility to more efficiently meet the needs of our customers."
Honda was granted standard, non-educational tax abatements for its latest investments by the Talladega County Commission Monday.
In 2013, vehicle production on Line 1 will include the Odyssey, Ridgeline and Pilot and Line 2 will produce the Pilot and Acura MDX.
The plant’s production capacity will be 340,000 units next year, an increase of 40,000 from current operations.
Honda has announced the addition of nearly 300 jobs and $390 million in investments in its Alabama operations since last fall to provide for these major production adjustments.
About half of the 300 new jobs announced are professional positions, with the other half being in production. The 50 announced Monday are production.
Honda will be hiring a range of manufacturing, engineering, purchasing and production management positions. For information about employment, visit www.HondaAlabama.com under the Career tab. New positions will be added on an ongoing basis.
The plant currently employs about 4,000 people and is the global supplier of the Odyssey, Pilot and Ridgeline, as well as the V-6 engines that power them.
Contact Emily Adams at eadams@dailyhome.com.
