Honda Karawang boosts output

JAKARTA: PT Honda Prospect Motor (HPM) said its Karawang plant in West Java had reached 50,000 units of production since it was opened two years ago.

"It is a remarkable accomplishment for us. Our investments for this factory have been used very well to fulfill our customer's satisfaction," HPM President Director Kenji Otaka said in a statement.

To boost production, HPM invested US$3 million in the plant this year. Currently, the Karawang plant is able to produce up to 170 cars a day. But HPM plans to increase production capacity to 210 units a day starting next year.

Honda recorded a 215 percent increase in sales to 46,500 units in 2004 from 21,650 cars in 2003. This year, HPM aims to produce up to 53,000 cars, approximately 10 percent of total market sales. Honda's best-selling compact car, the Jazz, along with its popular Civic, the CR-V and Stream are all produced at the plant.

Honda started assembling in Indonesia in 1975 and has produced a total of 239,365 cars in total. -- JP