Bangkok--18 Jul--Aziam Burson-Marsteller Asian Honda Motor Co., Ltd., Honda’s Bangkok-based Asia-Oceania regional headquarters, today announced that Honda will invest 6,200 million Baht to build a second manufacturing plant at the Honda Automobile (Thailand) Co., Ltd. (HATC) facility in Ayutthaya. This will be Honda’s largest single investment in Thailand to date. Scheduled to start production in October 2008, the second plant at HATC will double annual production capacity to 240,000 units. This will make it the largest passenger car production facility of any international manufacturer in the ASEAN region. According to Mr. Tatsuhiro Oyama, President and Chief Executive Officer, Asian Honda Motor Co., Ltd., Honda has been studying the expansion for some time to strengthen domestic sales and increase the company’s automobile exports. The recent finalization of the Thai government’s Eco-Car policy has encouraged Honda to increase its investment dramatically. “The Eco-Car project is in line with Honda’s goal to be the world’s most environmentally-responsible automotive manufacturer. The Thai government’s policy of promoting fuel-efficient, low-emission automobiles also reflects the worldwide trend of reducing CO2 emissions to help combat global warming. Our new plant will produce energy-efficient automobiles while using very environmentally friendly manufacturing techniques and pollution control measures,” said Mr. Oyama. In addition to its state-of-the-art equipment and facilities, the second automobile plant will feature a range of clean production and emission control technologies that will make Honda’s entire Ayutthaya factory complex one of the cleanest automobile manufacturing facilities in the world. This includes a 10 percent per automobile reduction in production-related CO2 emissions, compared to 2005 standards, and a 50 percent reduction in Volatile Organic Compounds by using water-based paints. Energy at the new factory will be partially provided by Honda’s own next-generation CIGS thin-film solar cells. Honda will also introduce a closed water recycling system that will not discharge any industrial wastewater outside of the facility. Honda also revealed that the enhanced-capability ASIMO, the world’s first humanoid robot, will make its debut in the Asia & Oceania region at the Federation of Thai Industries Fair in September, 2007, at Impact Hall 2, Muang Thong Thani. This latest version of ASIMO can run at 6 km. per hour, push a cart and has an improved human response function. “Our announcement today reinforces how Honda will achieve our Corporate Vision for 2010, of value creation with leading-edge technology, developing deep roots in the community through glocalization, and creating a better society for future generations by addressing global concerns,” concluded Mr. Oyama. For more information please contact: Asian Honda Motor Co., Ltd. Anjali Jalichandra Tel.(0) 2236-0256 ext 1500 Email:[email protected] Waraporn Pongpaiboon Tel.(0) 2236-0256 ext 1552 Email:[email protected] Aziam Burson-Marsteller Satida Sritunyatorn Tel.(0) 2252 9871 Email: [email protected] Nattakarn Chamsuwanwong Tel. (0) 2252 9871 Email: [email protected] Click for photo release at www.thaipr.net