Tokyo, March 28, 2000 - Honda Motor Co., Ltd. today announced that worldwide cumulative production of its power products has reached 40 million units.
Honda, which entered the power product business in 1953 with its H-type general-purpose engine for agricultural use, gradually expanded its product line to include tillers, generators, pumps, lawn mowers and outboard engines which are used in agriculture, construction and recreational activities.
Cumulative production reached 1 million units in 1969, 10 million in 1985, 20 million in 1992 and 30 million in 1997.
A rapid and steady increase in production over the last decade has pushed the total to the 40 million level today, thus making Honda's power product operations one of the company's three core businesses, together with automobiles and motorcycles.
Of those 40 million units, 4 million have been sold in Japan, whilst the remaining 36 million have been sold overseas. The breakdown of the 40 million units by product category is 21.6 million for general-purpose engines and 18.4 million for other completed power products such as generators, lawnmowers and tillers.
Overall, Honda produces 205 models in 19 power product categories, featuring a compact four-stroke engine, which is noted for its durability and fuel efficiency.
Honda's overseas sales of power products began with the export of tillers in 1963. The company began lawnmower production in the U.S. in 1984, opened a lawnmower and tiller production facility in France in 1986, and began producing generators in China in 1995. Including two power product plants in Japan located in Hamamatsu and Kumamoto, Honda has 12 production facilities in 11 countries, and sells its power products in 156 countries around the world.
Honda's Worldwide Production Figures for Power Products (Units)
Year | Production per year |
Comulative Production | Major Development |
1953 | 3,340 | 3,340 | Launch of the first Honda power product ,the H-Type general-purpose engine |
1954 | 19,830 | 23,170 | |
1955 | 9,326 | 32,496 | |
1956 | 9,901 | 42,397 | |
1957 | 7,352 | 49,749 | |
1958 | 15,057 | 64,806 | |
1959 | 31,640 | 96,446 | Launch of Honda's first tiller, F150 |
1960 | 25,497 | 121,943 | |
1961 | 19,545 | 141,488 | |
1962 | 21,380 | 162,868 | |
1963 | 83,668 | 246,536 | Export from Japan begins (first destination: France) |
1964 | 70,854 | 317,390 | |
1965 | 70,357 | 387,747 | Launch of Honda's first portable generator, E300 |
1966 | 168,505 | 556,252 | Launch of Honda's first water pump,W20/30 |
1967 | 165,590 | 721,842 | |
1968 | 162,090 | 883,932 | |
1969 | 136,950 | 1,020,882 | Cumulative production reaches 1,000,000 units |
1970 | 237,225 | 1,258,107 | |
1971 | 131,263 | 1,389,370 | |
1972 | 181,476 | 1,570,846 | |
1973 | 214,509 | 1,785,355 | Launch of Honda's first rice planting machine |
1974 | 314,632 | 2,099,987 | Cumulative production reaches 2,000,000 units |
1975 | 218,542 | 2,318,529 | |
1976 | 332,805 | 2,651,334 | Kumamoto Factory established (Japan) |
1977 | 414,283 | 3,065,617 | Cumulative production reaches 3,000,000 units |
1978 | 576,719 | 3,642,336 | Launch of Honda's first lawn mower ; Cumulative production of generators:1,000,000 units |
1979 | 582,502 | 4,224,838 | Asaka Higashi R&D Center established exclusively for power products (Japan) |
1980 | 682,653 | 4,907,491 | Introduction of the minitiller "Komame" (F200) |
1981 | 932,175 | 5,839,666 | Cumulative production reaches 5,000,000 units |
1982 | 1,007,646 | 6,847,312 | |
1983 | 1,198,909 | 8,046,221 | Power Prpduct Plant inside Hamamatsu Factory begins production (Japan) |
1984 | 1,352,927 | 9,399,148 | Start-up of lawn mower production in the U.S.A.; Launch of Honda's first riding mower |
1985 | 1,413,957 | 10,813,105 | Cumulative production reaches 10,000,000 units |
1986 | 1,308,684 | 12,121,789 | Start-up of power product production in France |
1987 | 1,411,134 | 13,532,923 | Start-up of general-purpose engine and water pump production in Thailand; Launch of extra-small portable power generator, EX300 |
1988 | 1,417,632 | 14,950,555 | Start-up of lawn mower production in Australia Start-up of portable power generator,stationary engine,etc.production in Inda; Launch of small portable diesel engines |
1989 | 1,389,920 | 16,340,475 | Cumulative production reaches 15,000,000 units |
1990 | 1,437,196 | 17,777,671 | Import into Japan of Honda's American-made walk-behind lawn mower begins |
1991 | 1,299,720 | 19,077,391 | |
1992 | 1,435,551 | 20,512,942 | Cumulative production reaches 20,000,000 units |
1993 | 1,754,995 | 22,267,937 | Hamamatsu Power Product Plant achieves ISO9001 certification |
1994 | 2,059,869 | 24,327,806 | BF90 outbord engine recieves IMTEC Innovation award |
1995 | 2,363,065 | 26,690,871 | Cumulative production reaches 25,000,000 units; Launch of in-wheel type motor; Start-up of lawn mower engine production in Italy; Start-up of portable generator production in China |
1996 | 2,691,156 | 29,382,027 | Establishment of power product sales company in Indonesia |
1997 | 3,053,558 | 32,435,585 | Launch of multi-directional 4-storke engine, GX22/31 for handheld equipment; Hamamatsu Power Product Plant achieves ISO14001 certification ; Cumulative production reaches 30,000,000 units; Start-up of power products in production in Indenesia |
1998 | 3,390,019 | 35,825,604 | Test facility for outbord marine engines opens in Shizuoka Prefecture (Japan); Launch of next-generation power generators, GENE21 Series |
1999 | 3,210,861 | 39,036,465 | Launch of 4-wheeled electric wheel chair, Monpal ML100 |
2000 (-May) |
963,535 | 40,000,000 | Cumulative production reaches 40,000,000 units |