The rumor was swollen on Monday. It has been confirmed Tuesday. Honda has decided to close its single site in the United Kingdom, Swindon, west of London. This plant, which employs 3 500 people, currently manufactures 150,000 to Civic each year. Its closure is planned for 2021.
The news is not bad for the first minister Theresa May, who is fighting to reassure businesses that the prospect of a “Brexit” without agreement is getting closer. “It is a terrible decision for Swindon and the Uk,” responded Greg Clark, the minister for Enterprise. A spokesman for 10 Downing Street said that Theresa May had met with the president of Honda to “express his disappointment”.
“The automotive industry, japanese investors, and Honda in particular have been clear for many months on the fact that the Brexit is an additional concern”
The japanese manufacturer has kept putting this decision on account of the exit of the countries of the european Union. “This is not Brexit, but the choice of the main place of production of the next Civic, which has led to this decision,” said Takahiro Hachigo, the general director of Honda. The factory in Swindon has started its production in 1989. But Honda has never managed to establish itself in Europe, with a market share of less than 1 % throughout the year 2018. So far, Greg Clark has recognised the role of Brexit in this decision. “The automotive industry, japanese investors, and Honda in particular have been clear for many months on the fact that the Brexit is an additional concern,” explained the minister in an intervention in Parliament.
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The bad news for the United Kingdom. In early February, Nissan had indicated its intention to make the future X-Trail in Japan rather than at its facility in English, at Sunderland.
