Nearly 500 associates from 92 Honda parts suppliers from 10 states, Mexico and Canada, have converged on the Chattanooga Convention Center this week to showcase their accomplishments in improving safety, environmental, quality, delivery, and efficiency at their respective production facilities.
These delegates are part of the Honda Circle Assistance Network, a voluntary organization of Honda suppliers who meet to grow and strengthen associate involvement activities to promote continuous improvement efforts.
Honda hosts these supplier improvement conferences each spring and fall and selected Chattanooga from among several potential sites in the Southern U.S., officials said.
Honda does not charge the supplier associates to attend the conference, but instead asks each participant to bring a donation to a local partner charity.
In Chattanooga, Honda is supporting the Children’s Home/Chambliss Shelter, and their North American suppliers brought enough childrens books, board games, toys, disposable diapers, and art supplies to fill the bed of a new Economy Honda Ridgeline pickup truck to overflowing.
The suppliers in Chattanooga this week support Honda’s 13 manufacturing plants throughout North America. These suppliers also look forward to supplying the newly announced Honda motor vehicle plant in Indiana and a new engine plant in Ontario, Canada, that will begin production in 2008, officials said.