​Indiana Auto Plant (IAP) announced today that it is investing $40 million to increase annual production capacity by 50,000 units to a total of 250,000 vehicles. The plant will hire approximately 300 new production associates later this year in preparation for the increased production that will start early next year.

Significantly, early next year, IAP will add production of the Civic Hybrid, Honda’s most popular hybrid model in the United States. Indiana was the first Honda plant in North America to build a hybrid vehicle when it started Acura ILX Hybrid production in April.

These latest announcements follow the start of a second shift of production last fall at Honda Manufacturing of Indiana that added approximately 1,000 jobs. IAP produces the popular Civic Sedan and the Civic Natural Gas on the same assembly line with the Acura ILX. Considering current Honda Civic Natural Gas, Acura ILX Hybrid and future Civic Hybrid production, IAP boasts the most diverse alternative-fuel production capability of any plant in North America.

“Our team in Indiana has successfully managed many challenges in its first four years, including the launch of three all-new models and the expansion of our production capacity is a result of their efforts,” said Senior Vice President Bob Nelson. “We are excited about these new opportunities for our plant, because it shows that the customer is embracing the products we make here in Indiana.”

Since late last year, Honda’s seven automobile production plants in North America have been operating at or above their full straight-time capacity, which currently totals 1.63 million vehicles per year. In addition to the new second shift at the Indiana plant, Honda’s plant in Marysville, Ohio resumed second-shift production on Line 1 late last year.

Last November, Honda Manufacturing of Alabama, LLC announced that it will increase capacity by 40,000 units to 340,000 light trucks per year, starting this fall. This increase, plus the additional 50,000 units at Honda Manufacturing of Indiana, will increase Honda’s North American auto production capacity to 1.72 million units per year. Additionally, Honda’s capacity in the region will total 1.92 million units after its new Mexico plant starts production of the critically acclaimed Fit sub-compact in the spring of 2014.

“Increasing production in Indiana will provide us with increased flexibility to adjust model mix at our other plants in North America,” Nelson said, noting that Civic models also are manufactured at Honda of Canada Mfg., in Alliston, Ontario, which is producing the popular CR-V. “All of our plants build multiple models on the same lines, so our ability to adjust between models and among plants allows us to optimize use of our production capacity.”

The additional capacity at Honda Manufacturing of Indiana also will result in increased purchasing from among more than 200 suppliers that manufacture parts and components for the plant’s production, mostly located in the Midwest. In addition, the engines and automatic transmissions for most of the plant’s production are manufactured at Honda plants in Ohio.

In 2011, 85 percent of the Honda and Acura automobiles sold in the U.S. were built in North America, using domestic and globally sourced parts, the highest rate of any international automaker. Honda expects this to grow to more than 90 percent local production in coming years.

Honda opened its first auto plant in the U.S. in 1982, in Marysville, Ohio, which will mark its 30th anniversary of U.S. auto production this year.

To apply for a position at IAP, please visit www.Indiana.Honda.com. The 300 new jobs will support existing processes in virtually every major area, including stamping, welding, painting, plastic injection molding, sub-assembly and final assembly operations. Honda is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from individuals with diverse backgrounds.