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Honda Becomes Net Exporter In The U.S.

Throughout 2013, the company exported 108,705 U.S.-made Honda and Acura vehicles while importing 88,537. In addition, the company achieved record production levels of 1,309,917 units on American soil — a 7.4 percent increase over the previous record in 2012.

Torrance, Calif. — American Honda recently announced that it ships more American-made cars out of the country than it imports in from Japan. Throughout 2013, the company exported 108,705 U.S.-made Honda and Acura vehicles while importing 88,537. In addition, the company achieved record production levels of 1,309,917 units on American soil — a 7.4 percent increase over the previous record in 2012.

The company says this increase in production is due to its $2.7 billion in investments over the last three years in North American operations. Because of those investments, 95 percent of the Honda and Acura cars and trucks sold in the U.S. are made locally in North America.

Tetsuo Iwamura, president & CEO of Honda North America, Inc., said, “Achieving net exporter status is a natural result of our commitment and investment in the U.S. and North America. The achievement of this tremendous milestone is a result of the efforts of the tens of thousands of associates in America who develop and produce our vehicles and those who manage the export of these products to customers in global markets.”

Ohio was the Honda’s foremost producer and exporter during 2013 — the two assembly plants there produced 734,772 vehicles, including nearly 70,000 that were set to be exported to more than 40 countries — that alone is a 69 percent increase compared to 2012.

The company says it currently has the capacity to produce 1.72 million cars and light trucks annually in North America, but with a new Honda Fit assembly plant opening in Mexico next month, that number will be boosted to 1.92 million. And once that plant is operational, the company will be able to produce near every product in its lineup in North America, from subcompacts to light trucks.

Honda began to export vehicles from the U.S. in 1987, and reached one million cumulative exports in 2012. At the current pace, they would reach two million before 2021.

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