Honda has said it will close a plant in Brazil earlier than scheduled because of a possible parts shortage resulting from Japan’s earthquake and tsunami.
The Brazilian plant normally takes a two week break in July during the southern winter season but it will be pushed forward to somewhere between the end of May and beginning of June, the company told AFP.
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“Due to natural disasters and their impact experienced by suppliers of Honda Motor Co, there could be a shortage of auto assembly parts starting in May” at the factory in Sumare, outside Sao Paulo, a company statement said.
The Honda plant in Manaus in Brazil’s Amazon basin will not be affected, the statement said.
The Sumare plant currently turns out 650 vehicles a day – Civics, Citys and Fits.
Honda already announced similar breaks in North American, Philippine, and British plants due to parts shortages.
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By GlobalDataToyota is shutting an assembly plant in Brazil for three days over the next four weeks, cutting production by about 1,200 cars, also because of a shortage of parts due to the ‘quake.
The plant at Indaiatuba, which makes Corollas, was shut on Monday and will also shut on 6 and 20 May, a Toyota spokesman said. Last year, the Corolla made up more than half of the automaker’s sales in Brazil.
Toyota also said it will cut production in Argentina by about 400 Hilux pickup trucks and SW4 SUVs in May. A plant in Zarate in Argentina will not run second shifts on three days: 13, 20 and 27 May, Toyota said.
