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[CVOJOE]

SAN FRANCISCO - Honda Motor Co. plans to stop producing motorcycles in the U.S. in spring 2009 and transfer it to Japan, the Associated Press reported Wednesday. The plant, in Marysville, Ohio, employs 450 workers but there won't be any layoffs. The workers will remain with the company and fill other jobs at Honda's operations in west-central Ohio, the news agency said. Copyright © 2008 MarketWatch, Inc.

Be interesting to see what this does to the Goldwing pricing once production is done in Japan. 

[Hugh Janis]

Are there tariffs on other Japanese bikes?  I don't think it should effect price if there are no tariffs.  Lead times on popular bikes, now THAT'S a different story. 

[Boatman]

I live 30 miles from the Goldwing-VTX1800 plant and the local radio station reported it also on the drive home .  My brotherinlaw worked in the paint dept until last year and kept saying the rumor was the motorcycles were going elsewhere (the ATV's moved south a few years ago). 

I was at the Goldwing homecoming last July at the plant and everyone I asked about a move were without hesitation saying production would stay there.  So much they knew or they were great liars.

I'm glad I was able to tour the plant before the GW's leave.  An oddity at the time was the fact they moved the engine assy from an actual engine plant another 30 miles away and were actually assembling engines next to the bike line.  They evidently had changes in motion then.

The 450 workers will move next door to the 2 large auto assy plants.   Auto production has been good thus far with the products Honda produces.

The bike plant work spoiled my brotherinlaw and he hates the auto plant he now works in.
 

[VAZHOG]

*** PLEASE POST ***
TO BE READ Wednesday, February 27, 2008
TO: HAM and EGA Associates
FROM: Akio Hamada, HAM President and CEO
PLEASE READ
MMP to Cease Production in Spring 2009

Please read entire text below.



PLEASE POST

This morning I made a very important and difficult announcement to our fellow associates at the Marysville Motorcycle Plant.

Beginning in spring 2009, Honda will consolidate the Marysville Motorcycle Plant production at a new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Kumamoto, Japan.

As you may remember, Honda made a similar announcement in 2006 to consolidate motorcycle production from the Hamamatsu plant in Japan to Kumamoto. The purpose of these consolidation efforts is to strengthen the competitiveness and appeal of Honda products by applying advanced technologies.

Out of respect to our associates and those impacted by this announcement, I wanted to share this news as soon as possible. We are currently evaluating how we will proceed with this direction. But I want to assure you that MMP associates will remain an important part of the HAM team. There will be no layoffs.

In the past, many people have identified themselves as motorcycle associates, or auto plant associates, or engine associates. But the one very important thing for all of us to remember is that we are one team. A team of dedicated and committed Honda associates whose number one objective is to satisfy our customers.

We will share with you more details as they become available. Thank you and have a safe day.

[VAZHOG]

The above post means that the Goldwing Will no longer produced in the USA as it was from 1975 thru 1983 therfore it could be the end of the Goldwing as you know it. All things change Will the Goldwing be imported at the current Dollar (exchange rate)that would it about 50K vrs 20K now so I don't think an import option would fly.

However time changes everything maybe something better is on the horzion?

Why is this on this site? All you Guys ride Harleys Surrley no parts on those rides are imported from JApan, Korea or beyond are they?

[porthole]

Why is this on this site? All you Guys ride Harleys Surrley no parts on those rides are imported from JApan, Korea or beyond are they?

The forks for as long as I can remember.

[Screamin]

Another manufacturing plant lost from Ohio and U.S. Don't see how that can be a good thing.

[RedDevil]

Another manufacturing plant lost from Ohio and U.S. Don't see how that can be a good thing.

Even the Japanese are out-sourcing from America back to their own country...perhaps if we did the same, brought our overseas jobs back to America, that would make things better.  Besides, I do so much more enjoy talking to a person that speaks english!!  Which is getting harder and harder to get. 

   

[VAZHOG]

The forks for as long as I can remember.

That was a tonque in check comment 

[VAZHOG]

Another manufacturing plant lost from Ohio and U.S. Don't see how that can be a good thing.

The plants not closing and the workers will still be able to buy slurrpies, They will make the plant part of the auto plant and the workers will change there assembly jobs.

They Assembled the GW there from imported parts, The engine plant next door is where the engine was assembled both of which will still be in operation just not assembilng a Motorcycle.

More bikes than people to buy means someone has to stop making them

[Boatman]

The forks for as long as I can remember.

I believe they are currently made by Showa Corp in Sunbury, Ohio for the MOCO..

[HUBBARD]

Even the Japanese are out-sourcing from America back to their own country...perhaps if we did the same, brought our overseas jobs back to America, that would make things better.  Besides, I do so much more enjoy talking to a person that speaks english!!  Which is getting harder and harder to get. 

   

Damit, Hillary said she was going to fix that!  Yeah, and I feel 'em Monkeys startin' to fly out my a$$, again!  Slick Willie and Algore.  Champions for the American economy.  Later--HUBBARD

[grc]

"Out of respect to our associates and those impacted by this announcement, I wanted to share this news as soon as possible. We are currently evaluating how we will proceed with this direction. But I want to assure you that MMP associates will remain an important part of the HAM team. There will be no layoffs. "

There is one of the huge differences between Japanese management and our domestic version.  Any of you folks remember how Harley handled their shutdown prior to the holidays to reduce inventories?  Layoffs, rather than pay the folks to attend training classes or perform other tasks. 

I've never seen a breakdown for the motorcycles built in Marysville, but many of the Japanese auto plants in this country actually have higher domestic (USA) content percentages than some of the vehicles from GM/Ford/Chrysler.  Even if many of the highest value components for the bikes were imported from Japan, having that plant here rather than in Japan added significantly to the economy of Ohio.  It will be a real shame to see it leave.

Jerry

[nightvet]

There will be no layoffs. "

It will be a real shame to see it leave.

But, it's not leaving, it's changing product.

There is one of the huge differences between Japanese management and our domestic version.  Any of you folks remember how Harley handled their shutdown prior to the holidays to reduce inventories?  Layoffs, rather than pay the folks to attend training classes or perform other tasks. 

As soon as Harley has an auto division, they can move the people on the motorcycle line to the auto line.

I'm not saying the Harley lay-offs were a good thing or necessarily handled well, but the comparison isn't fair. Honda is a massive company which manufactures an incredible number of products. They have the ability to shift production from product to product. Harley is, in comparison, a rather small company, producing a single product. They do NOT have the ability to shift production.


edited for missing word

[grc]

But, it's not leaving, it's changing product.
.......................

Slice it any way you want, it (motorcycle assembly) is leaving.  The auto production would have ramped up anyway, creating additional jobs as well as facility expansion (more jobs).  The fact that the folks in motorcycle assembly will be taking those automotive positions just means that new employees won't be hired off the street. 

Jerry