​Honda’s vehicle assembly plants in Ohio set an annual company production record in 2007, breaking 700,000 and helping the company exceed the 1 million mark for the first time in the United States, the company announced Thursday. Production reached new levels at both Ohio assembly plants operated by Honda of America Mfg. Inc. – 458,842 vehicles at the Marysville Auto Plant and 242,475 at the nearby East Liberty Auto Plant. The total of 701,317 broke a record of 694,703 set in 1998. The Honda Accord Sedan and Coupe and the Acura TL and RDX are made* at Marysville, while East Liberty produces the Honda Civic, Element and CR-V. The record coincided with the 25th anniversary year of Japanese auto production in the United States, which began at Honda’s Marysville plant in 1982. “We reached this record because of the dedication of our associates and the loyalty of our customers,” Honda of America President and CEO Akio Hamada said. “There is a positive connection between them,” Hamada said. “Our associates strive to understand our customers and deliver the highest-quality products to them, and our customers have been responding by pushing up our U.S. sales.” Honda and Acura vehicles accounted for 9.6 percent of the U.S. light vehicle market in 2007, Honda’s highest level ever. “Ohio has been a critical part of Honda manufacturing operations since 1979, when we produced our first motorcycle at Marysville, and 1982, when the first U.S. Accord was built,” Hamada said. “Over time, our experienced Ohio associates have become leaders elsewhere in Honda, at new U.S. plants and around the world.” Honda reached the U.S. milestone of 1,015,462 vehicle assemblies in a single year this way in 2007: Marysville, Ohio 458,842 Honda Accord Sedan & Coupe Acura TL, Acura RDX East Liberty, Ohio 242,475 Honda Civic & Civic CNG (natural gas), Honda Element, Honda CR-V Lincoln, Alabama 314,145 Honda Odyssey, Honda Pilot Ohio Total 701,317 U.S. Total 1,015,462 Engines for all U.S.produced Honda and Acura vehicles were built in the United States. The Alabama operation includes a V-6 engine plant on site, while all the Ohio-made vehicles were equipped with either 4 or 6-cylinder engines made in Anna, Ohio. The Anna Engine Plant also builds engines for Honda’s Canadian vehicle operations. The plant produced 1,102,108 engines in 2007. It is the largest Honda auto engine plant in the world. In becoming Ohio’s leading producer of cars and light trucks, Honda built an extensive network of 140 original-equipment suppliers in Ohio and 525 in the United States. Honda pays these suppliers more than $16 billion annually – for parts, components and raw materials. “Our suppliers are critical partners in our business, so we applaud them as we reach these milestones,” Hamada said. Honda employs more than 15,000 Ohioans and more than 27,000 Americans. The company’s Ohio suppliers employ an additional 40,000 Ohioans. “We have been able to grow our output during these difficult times in the auto industry because our plants can flex between different models to meet changing customer demands,” Hamada said. This fall, Honda will open its newest assembly plant, in Greensburg, Ind. The plant will contain the ninth Honda vehicle line at six sites in North America. Photos are available for the news media at hondanews.com *Using domestic and globally sourced parts.