The Hindu Business Line : Honda Motor plans 2nd plant

READY FOR A RIDE: Mr Yukihiro Aoshima (left), President & CEO, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt Ltd, and Mr Yoichi Mizutani, Director, Sales and Marketing, at the launch of the new 150cc Honda Unicorn in the Capital on Monday. The company said it aims to sell 9 lakh two-wheelers in the coming financial year. — Kamal Narang

New Delhi March 19 Two-wheeler maker Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI) is conducting a feasibility study for setting up a new plant as it targets the one million domestic sales mark in the next three years.

The company is planning to introduce new motorcycle and scooter models and is currently working on a fuel injection powered bike, a 100 cc bike and a new scooter for the Indian market.

"We are currently conducting a feasibility study for a new plant. A new plant would only come up once our existing capacity of 1.2 million units is fully utilised which could take another couple of years,'' the HMSI CEO and President, Mr Yukihiro Aoshima, told newspersons here.

HMSI operates in India through a facility in Manesar and has a combined two-wheeler (motorcycle and scooters) production capacity of 1.2 million units.

Mr Aoshima said since the Manesar facility is already operating at full capacity and is producing the existing line up, the 100 cc bike could be rolled out from the new plant. The company is looking at launching several models of its entry-level 100 cc bike.

New variants

Meanwhile, the company today launched an upgraded variant of its 150 cc bike Unicorn priced at Rs 58,150 (ex-showroom Delhi), which would be rolled out in the market in the first week of April.

HMSI also introduced a limited edition Unicorn priced at Rs 59,425 (ex-showroom Delhi). It would sell 2,500 units of the limited edition, which would be rolled out in May.

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