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.