Honda Automoveis do Brasil (HAB), the automaker's automobile production and sales subsidiary in Brazil, has begun operations at its new vehicle assembly plant in Itirapina city, state of Sao Paulo.
HAB announced on 3 April, 2018, a plan to restructure its Brazil automobile production operations and assembly of the Fit, the first model produced at Itripina, is the first phase of that plan.
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The Itirapina plant was completed in April 2015 with capacity to produce 120,000 vehicles per year in two shifts but the carmaker has kept the lines there idle until now.
Following the Fit SOP, HAB will sequentially transfer production of other models from the existing Sumare plant, also in Sao Paulo state, to the new plant, with restructuring scheduled to be completed in 2021.
The new plant has a production line equipped with the latest production technology including what Honda calls "highly-functional painting" plus new welding and stamping systems which enable shorter processes and other automation deemed most appropriate for this plant.
Honda has built vehicles for over 20 years in Brazil. The Sumare plant will remain operational concentrating on powertrain production.
