Honda starts Activa production at new Karnataka plant
Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd. (HMSI) has rolled out the first batch of its Activa scooter from its new plant at Narsapura in Kolar district, Karnataka. This is Honda's third plant in India.
"With this speedy ramp up, Honda has started production in the plant's second line," said Honda, in a statement.
With the second line operational, capacity has gone up to 18 lakh units
HMSI started producing the Dream Yuga bike on the first line in June. With the first line up and running, the annual capacity of the plant was 12 lakh units. With the second line now operational, the total capacity has gone up to 18 lakh units. This will also help HMSI increase its total annual production from 28 lakh units last year to 46 lakh units in the coming year. This will mark a phenomenal 64% increase in one fiscal year.
"With Activa's proven legacy of reliability and advanced features we have succeeded in selling 8 million units of Activa till date. It's a happy moment for us as our new plant in Karnataka has begun rolling out our most popular selling scooter Activa from the second line," said Keita Muramatsu, President and CEO, HMSI.
HMSI is the only two-Wheeler company to make it to the Top 5 auto companies list for the year. Not surprisingly, Fortune India has recognized Honda as the 'Most Admired Company in the Indian Auto industry' in 2013.
The Honda Activa scooter continues to be popular and typically commands a 4 to 6 month waiting list. Whether the additional supply will reduce this wait remains unclear. A dealer we spoke to did not indicate any change in delivery schedules.
