At its fourth two-wheeler plant in Vithalapur, Gujarat, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI) has opened its new third assembly line, increasing its capacity by 6.50 lakh units annually. Honda's largest scooter-only plant in the world is in HMSI's cutting-edge Vithalapur facility. The new line was inaugurated on January 5. According to Honda, it perfectly reflects the company's dedication to domestic production in line with the government's "Make in India" initiative. At present, the prominent two-wheeler maker operates four manufacturing facilities across the nation: Tapukara (Rajasthan), Narsapura (Karnataka), Manesar (Haryana), and Vithalapur (Gujarat). Read on to learn more about the facility.
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About HMSI Gujarat Plant
The Vithalapur plant produces the Activa, Honda's best-selling two-wheeler as well as the top-selling scooter in India, in addition to other scooter models such as the Dio, the Activa 125, and the Dio 125. To meet the demand from markets such as Thailand, the US, Europe, and Japan, HMSI's Gujarat factory also features a specialised engine line that acts as a basis for the production of worldwide engines (for two-wheelers with displacements of 250cc and above). When it comes to the ability to produce two-wheelers, India is one of Honda's key production sites worldwide.
With its initial assembly line and a 6 lakh-unit annual production capacity, HMSI started production at its Gujarat plant in February 2016. It began working at the second assembly line, which has a capacity of 6 lakh units annually, barely four months later in June 2016. The capacity of HMSI's four plants combined has increased to 7.05 million units annually with the addition of 650,000 units, bringing the plant's capacity in Vithalapur to 1.85 million units.
More job opportunities have been created by the expansion of the Vithalapur facility, and HMSI intends to boost the proportion of female workers in the manufacturing sector. According to the company, it has developed infrastructure such as restrooms, a creche, female security guards, medical personnel, and supervisors to safeguard the well-being of its female workforce. Additionally, the firm is making significant efforts to ensure that the Gujarat factory is carbon neutral by 2030. Currently, it is a zero-liquid discharge and zero-waste-to-landfill manufacturing facility that uses 75 per cent of its electrical power from renewable energy sources (solar and wind). It also harvests rainwater.
Here's What HMSI Has to Say
Commenting on the occasion, Tsutsumu Otani, President, Managing Director & CEO, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India, said, “Today marks a significant milestone as we have inaugurated a new 3rd Assembly Line at our Vithalapur facility in Gujarat. To serve customers more efficiently with speed, undertaking this capacity expansion plan will increase HMSI’s total annual production volumes significantly. HMSI’s Gujarat plant produces scooter models for domestic as well as export markets which will help us to continue leading the trend of scooterization not just in India but across the globe.”
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Honda Sales Figures: December 2023
According to Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India's (HMSI) December 2023 sales report, the company sold 3,17,123 units through domestic and exports, a 27 per cent increase from 2,50,171 units sold in December 2022. Despite the two-wheeler market's slow sales trend, the manufacturer finished the year on a strong note. Furthermore, the company's domestic sales grew to 2,86,101 units in December 2023 from 2,33,151 in December 2022, representing a 22.71 per cent year-over-year gain. Meanwhile, exports increased by 82.27 percent to 31,022 units, compared to 17,020 units delivered overseas in the same month of 2022. In the calendar year 2023, the company sold 43.85 lakh units.
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