Honda in ASEAN program

Honda in ASEAN program

MANILA (AFP): Japan's Honda Motor Co. Ltd. will set up a manufacturing plant for its exhaust manifolds under a special ASEAN program, a Honda official said yesterday.

An initial 70 million pesos (US$2.69 million) will be invested by Honda for the plant, expected to produce 60,000 units each year to be exported to affiliates in other countries, said Honda Cars Philippines Inc. president Koji Miyajima.

The plant falls under ASEAN's brand-to-brand complementation program, which includes production of Honda's automotive plastic parts in Malaysia, pressed body parts in Thailand, and its cylinders in Indonesia, he added.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations groups Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Honda has 13 other affiliates in the Philippines undertaking parts manufacturing, Miyajima said, adding that Honda of Japan was considering the Philippines as a strategic center for Asia- Oceania operations.