For Japanese automakers like Honda, 2011 started on a rough note with a devastating earthquake followed by a tsunami in March. Cleanup from this natural disaster continued throughout the year, but as production resumed and started to climb back up, they were hit again at their production facilities in Thailand when Monsoon season dumped record amounts of rainwater over the country, forcing many facilities to shut their doors due to parts shortages.

As it turns out, when Honda wrapped up production in their Ayutthaya Province plant because of parts shortages, it was a blessing in disguise. Only a few days later, on October 8, floodwaters inundated the facility, damaging the plant and the one-thousand vehicles that were ready to be shipped out.

By the end of the year, Honda reopened the plant to resume production, and output was back at normal levels. However, there was the question of what to do with the 1,055 vehicles ruined by the  flood waters. The company promised not to repair the vehicles or any of their parts, and at the end of the month, began publicly destroyed all of the vehicles.

The plant in Ayutthaya produces about 170,000 vehicles annually, produces models like the Honda Fit bound for Australian and Asian markets.

Tameron Honda, located at 1675 Montgomery Hwy Birmingham, AL 35216, continues to keep the people of Japan and Thailand in our thoughts as they recover from these natural disasters. Be sure to stay tuned with us, and feel free to drop us a line via our website to learn more about any emerging news from Honda.