As the United States continues to climb out of the recession of the last couple of years, it's still a relief to hear about companies that have continued to grow. Honda is one such company, and with roots in Japan, it's especially nice to hear that their expansions are taking place on American soil. The latest announcement from the automaker revealed that their plant in Alabama will see an additional 100 employees to help bump production from 300,000 vehicles a year to 340,000.

The investment will cost Honda $84 million, and the nearly 4,000 workers will expand their production line. Since it first opened in 2001, the factory has produced the Honda Odyssey minivan, Honda Pilot SUV, and Honda Ridgeline full-sized pickup, as well as the 6-cylinder engines found under the hood. The automaker plans to shift production of one of their SUVs to the plant, as well as increase production of engines and pickup trucks.

The reasoning behind this, according to reports, is that demand for new Honda cars and trucks increased by 10-percent this year. Forecasters predict that total demand for 2011 will exceed 12.5-million units in the United States. Ed Miller, Honda Spokesperson said, "We're confident in our associates' ability to build the products Americans want."¹ If that's the case, then we're certain Americans will have no problem buying the additional 40,000 Honda vehicles being produced in Alabama.

We're even more certain, because more than ever, people are stopping in to see us at Tracy Honda (3450 Auto Plaza Way Tracy, CA 95304) to take a spin in a safe and reliable new Honda. We invite you to take a minute to browse our online inventory, to see what all the buzz is about, and then give us a call at (877) 369-7470 or contact us via our website to learn more or schedule a test drive.

Source: ¹http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-11-16/honda-expanding-alabama-plant-to-lift-light-truck-engine-output.html