Honda marks £267m investment with new model launch

"This is the single biggest investment into Honda's UK manufacturing base in over a decade," the company said. The investment supported the introduction of the new Civic back in December 2011, the new CR-V this month and a new 1.6 litre diesel engine for Honda Civic due in December this year. 500 new staff - or associates as they are known at Honda - have been recruited and trained this year to build the new products, taking the total workforce to 3,500. By the end of the year, production at the Swindon plant is forecast to have doubled on last year's figure, up to 183,000 units. Honda aims to increase that figure to 250,000 units per year, within three years. The announcement is also good news for the UK balance of trade with 60% of the production going for export. Honda's Swindon plant produces cars and engines for over 60 countries around the world, including Europe, Middle East, Africa and Australia.