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Associates at Honda's East Liberty Auto Plant celebrated a major milestone on Wednesday, with the production of the plant's 5 millionth vehicle, a 2016 Acura RDX. The manufacturing milestone came as the plant began production of the newly refreshed and hot-selling 2016 Acura RDX luxury sport-utility, which went on-sale at Acura dealerships nationwide the same day.

Since starting auto production in 1989, seven years after Honda began auto production in America at the Marysville Auto Plant in Ohio, the East Liberty Auto Plant has manufactured a wide range of passenger cars and light trucks. Honda models include the Civic Sedan and Coupe, Civic GX compressed natural gas vehicle, Element, Accord Sedan, Crosstour and the Honda CR-V, the 2015 Motor Trend SUV of the Year. Acura models produced at the plant include the CL Coupe and RDX. It was announced last month that the East Liberty Plant would expand light truck production in early 2017 with the Acura MDX.

"Our current team of talented associates at East Liberty is proud to represent the thousands of associates who worked over the past 26 years to reach this impressive production milestone," said Tim Myers, plant manager at East Liberty. "We've got a great team that continues to challenge and achieve new levels of quality and efficiency to satisfy our customers."

Myers said the timing of the 5 millionth production milestone and the start of mass production of the 2016 Acura RDX is significant for the East Liberty Plant and Honda manufacturing in the U.S.

"Last year, East Liberty celebrated its 25th anniversary by looking back at our past success," he said. "Today, as we celebrate the production of East Liberty's 5 millionth vehicle, we are looking ahead to an exciting future. We've got an incredible production lineup that includes the newly energized 2016 Acura RDX that is coming off its best-ever year, the CR-V that was America's best-selling SUV of 2014, and the best-selling SUV of the past decade, and we are preparing for the start of production of the Acura MDX in 2017."

In addition to a strong production lineup, Myers said Honda has recently completed major innovations at the East Liberty plant to enhance its assembly operations, including replacing its main and sub-assembly lines. He said these new innovations will allow the plant to leverage its flexible manufacturing capabilities.

The East Liberty plant currently employs 2,350 associates and has the annual capacity to manufacture 240,000 passenger cars and light trucks.   #YearofHonda

About Honda Manufacturing in Ohio
Since starting auto production in 1982 at the Marysville Auto Plant, Honda has produced more than 14 million vehicles in Ohio. A third Ohio auto plant, the Performance Manufacturing Center, is under construction in Marysville and will soon become the exclusive global production location for the next generation NSX supercar. Honda's largest global auto engine plant is located in Anna and manufactures four-cylinder and V-6 engines for automobile production in Ohio, Indiana and Canada. Honda also operates a large plant in Russells Point for the production of automatic transmissions and four-wheel drive systems.

In addition to manufacturing, Honda has established substantial R&D and engineering operations in Ohio, along with a large regional parts distribution center and other operations that support product development, manufacturing and sales in North America. Among all of its operations in Ohio, Honda directly employs 13,500 Ohioans and tens of thousands more through its suppliers and other business partners.

About Honda
Honda has been producing automobiles in America for more than 30 years and currently operates 16 major manufacturing facilities in North America.

Eight Honda auto plants in the North American region, including four in the U.S., have the capacity to produce 1.92 million automobiles each year. Last year, more than 97 percent of the Honda and Acura vehicles sold in America were produced in North America, using domestic and globally sourced parts. Those plants today manufacture 11 different models, including four passenger cars and seven light trucks. A fifth U.S. auto plant, the Performance Manufacturing Center, is under construction in Marysville, Ohio, and will become the exclusive global production location for the next generation NSX supercar.

Honda also operates 16 major research and development centers in the U.S. with the capacity to fully design, develop and engineer many of the products Honda produces in North America.

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