With increased focus on boosting economic activity during Lockdown 4.0, Honda2Wheelers India will resume production at its four plants in a phased manner
The first plant to resume production will be the one located at Narsapura in Karnataka. This is the company’s biggest plant and it will be operational from May 25. The other three plants will be restarted in the first week of June. These are located at Tapukara in Rajasthan, Manesar in Haryana and Vithalapur in Gujarat. Along with Honda’s best seller Activa – production of other scooters and motorcycles will also commence.
Manufacturing is expected to commence in a seamless manner, as all of Honda’s 300+ suppliers have received the necessary approvals to restart their plants. The company is unlikely to face any shortage or parts. Honda suppliers are expected to resume production at their respective plants in the coming days. Honda is following a calibrated approach to manage its ecosystem to ensure stable and efficient operations.
On the retail front, more than 60% of Honda dealers are now open for business. Earlier, the company had reported that more than 21k units were sold in less than two weeks of starting operations from May 04. However, sales momentum is still less as compared to pre-lockdown period. The company is hopeful that things will continue to improve from this point onwards.
Honda will resume production with full compliance to safety guidelines issued by the government. The company has published a detailed Operations Resumption manual, which provides detailed information about new rules and protocols to be followed. These guidelines will be implemented across the ecosystem including Honda’s manufacturing plants, suppliers’ production units, logistics partners, dealer network and service centres across the country.
Safety guidelines mandated by Honda2Wheelers aim to protect all individuals at risk including company employees, customers and staff deployed at suppliers, dealerships and service centres. Some of the key guidelines include mandatory face masks, non-biometric entry and exit, temperature screening, frequent hand sanitization, and disinfection of exposed surfaces and vehicle carrying materials.
Other measures include work from home for pregnant women, no entry for individuals coming from hotspot zones, and safe disposal PPEs and other contaminated materials. Honda will ensure that hand wash and sanitizers are readily available at its plants, dealerships and service centres. Video below from Honda, explains the steps taken by the company to maintain safety.
To spread awareness, Honda is providing detailed training to all stokeholds. The training modules cover various topics such as information about Covid-19, transport guidelines, importance of social distancing, and revised SOP for quality checks. The company is also providing COVID-19 health insurance cover for all permanent and contractual employees.