Honda aims to become the region's largest assembler

The company's second plant, located in Ayutthaya, will double Honda's annual production to 240,000 units.

Kenji Otaka, who has just taken over as president, said yesterday he wanted Honda to gain consumer acceptance within three years as "an automobile brand that is best known and trusted by Thais".

It has a strategy of corporate social responsibility including good governance and proactive customer relations, as well as a commitment to technology and product innovation.

He said Honda's spending and business plans were based on a longterm commitment to the local market and confidence in the country's continued economic growth and develop¬ment.

But being first in customer satisfaction does not automatically mean being number one in sales. "We may not sell more cars than the market leader but with higher customer satisfaction, sales will increase."

The decision to build the new plant was initially intended to increase capacity for existing models but since the company had its application to construct an ecocar approved by the government, part of the factory will be dedicated to that model.

Honda will spend Bt6.7 billion on the ecocar, with some of that going towards a share of the plant's construction cost, Otaka said. Honda is the first constructor to receive government approval to build an ecocar.

- The Nation

Kingsley Wijayasinha