Reports from Japan earlier today that Honda UK Manufacturing (HUM) was slashing vehicle production by 10% in Britain due to faltering demand in Europe were based on an announcement made at the end of September, a plant spokeswoman told just-auto. But she added that Honda was now planning to take another 10,000 cars from the schedules as demand from the UK and Europe continues to shrink.
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HUM last month said one of its two car plants would move onto a single shift day pattern from December, whilst the other plant remained at full production. There would be no job losses with workers re-deployed across the facility. HUM also planned to extend its Christmas shut-down by a week and reallocate some production days to later next year.
Production would consequently be cut from the expected 238,000 units, achieved in 2007, down to around 206,000 vehicles this year, HUM said in September.
On Tuesday it said: “Further to the announcement in September regarding reduction of volume, unfortunately the global financial situation has continued to affect consumer confidence and Honda have taken the decision to reduce production volume at Swindon by a further 10,000 units within this financial year.”
It added that discussions with workers’ representatives would be held in the next two weeks with the volume reduction planned between January and March.
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By GlobalDataHUM said earlier this month it would start building the Jazz (Fit) for Europe late in 2009.
Honda currently makes the three- and five-door Civic hatchbacks and CRV SUV in Britain.
Four-door Civic sedans, including the hybrid, come from plants in Asia.
