​Honda recognized suppliers for top efficiency and innovation Tuesday, and also presented special awards to several suppliers that went beyond the call of duty to support production of Honda cars, light trucks, motorcycles and engines. Eight suppliers that excel at providing maintenance, repair and operational (MRO) services received top “Suppliers of the Year” performance awards in categories ranging from providing electrical and tooling equipment to specialized lubricants, gauges and measuring devices. In addition, five suppliers received special recognition for exceptional response. Honda invited 109 MRO suppliers to the annual MRO Supplier Conference to thank them for their support over the past year, and to share information on business conditions and challenges. The vast majority of Honda’s more than 2,100 MRO suppliers are leading local businesses that provide a wide range of goods and services indirectly related to the manufacturing at Honda’s four Ohio plants. Bill Easdale, Honda purchasing division manager, talked about building a solid business foundation for the future. “What I learned through the course of my new model activity is that a company cannot succeed simply through innovating its products,” he said. “I discovered the importance of innovating a company as well.” Easdale said that even though the Marysville Auto Plant celebrated its 25th anniversary last year, it operates like an all-new facility with entirely new welding systems, a new paint shop, new door lines and new parts delivery systems. “As individual companies and as business partners, your success and our success is based on innovation that helps bring to market the best product at the best value,” he said. “You can’t remain strong for the future by remaining where you are.” Mike Wallace, manager of MRO Purchasing, thanked the MRO suppliers for exceeding targets in the areas of cost-reduction and improving efficiencies, despite rising costs of materials and other economic challenges. Going forward, he said Honda and the MRO suppliers will work more closely together increase efficiencies in procurement and services. Six of the Suppliers of the Year are in Ohio: Dayton-based John A. Becker Co. locations in Sidney and Columbus; The Ohio Transmission Corp., Columbus; McAuliffe’s Industrial LLC, Marysville; Rosewood Machine & Tool, Rosewood; RPM Carbide Die, Inc., Arcadia, and Paragon Service & Supply, Lima. The remaining recipients are Industrial Control Repair, Warren, Mich., and Houghton International, Valley Force, Pa. In addition, three MRO supplier companies earned Special Recognition awards from Honda for going well beyond normal duties. All in Ohio, the “Special Recognition” awards went to John A. Becker Co., Dayton; The Ohio Transmission Corp., Columbus, and Tru-Edge Grinding, St. Henry. In addition, Starwin Industries of Dayton, Ohio, and Chemcast Ltd. of Danville, Ill., received the Plant Manager’s Award for their quick response helping recover production after a devastating fire at another supplier company. Honda of America Mfg. operates four of Honda’s five manufacturing plants in Ohio – the Marysville Motorcycle Plant, Marysville Auto Plant, East Liberty Auto Plant and Anna Engine Plant. The company’s 12,500 associates produced more than 700,000 cars and light trucks in Ohio last year along with more than 1 million auto engines, while also manufacturing Gold Wing touring andVTX 1300 cruiser motorcycles. Honda 2008 MRO Suppliers of the Year John A. Becker Co. Sidney, Ohio Office Headquarters: Dayton, Ohio Electrical Supply & Service Automation, control, conduit, cabling, lighting Services provided to Anna Engine Plant from Sidney location, and to Marysville and East Liberty auto plants from Columbus facility. The Ohio Transmission Corp.Columbus, Ohio Power Transmission Supply & ServiceBearings, cylinders, pumps, gearboxes, valves used for mechanical & power transmission systems. McAuliffe’s Industrial LLC Marysville, Ohio General Mill Supply & Service Hand tools, abrasives, tape, fasteners, janitorial products, and miscellaneous metals and plastics. Rosewood Machine & Tool Rosewood, Ohio Precision Measurement Supply & Service Meters, chart recorders, fixtures, gauges, fabrications, machining. RPM Carbide Die, Inc.Arcadia, OhioParagon Service & Supply Lima, Ohio Production Cutting and Tooling Supply & Service Drills, taps, inserts, grinding wheels, cutters, die punches RPM and Paragon tied in this category Industrial Control Repair Warren, Mich. Manufacturing Services Waste, calibration, part repairing, outside labor & manpower, information services, packaging, office equipment, industrial and administrative contracts Houghton InternationalValley Forge, Pa.Formulated Products Lubricants, coolants, rust preventatives and other industry-based fluids Honda 2008 MRO Special Recognition Starwin Industries Dayton, Ohio Chemcast Ltd.Danville, Ill.“Plant Manager’s Award“Anna Engine PlantIn response to a major fire at a foundry supplier, Starwin Industries and Chemcast expedited the purchase, installation and start-up of equipment to maintain production of sand cores used in ferrous and aluminum casting.Their actions prevented significant production down-time at Honda’s Anna Engine Plant in Ohio. As a result, Honda associates continued making passenger cars and light trucks in Ohio, Alabama and Canada without interruption. John A. Becker Co.Dayton, Ohio Special Recognition John A. Becker Co. responded on a Sunday to troubleshoot problems with a newly installed control system at the East Liberty Auto Plant. Their action allowed production to start on time the next day. The Ohio Transmission Corp. Columbus, Ohio Special Recognition Honda was preparing to purchase and install two robots for a new vehicle undercoating process at the Marysville Auto Plant.Challenging conventional thinking, Ohio Transmission pointed out the amount of down time within the existing group of robots. Through testing, they proved that the new process could be added to the existing cell of robots. Tru-Edge Grinding St. Henry, Ohio Special Recognition. Through its innovative approach, Tru-Edge was instrumental in developing new regrind technology that allows the Anna Engine Plant to regrind existing “worn out” cutting tools in the plant. In addition to optimizing drilling performance, the new technology is saving hundreds of thousands of dollars per year and reducing costs associated with using new materials.