BIRMINGHAM – Honda honored nearly 100 North American auto suppliers for achievements in supplying parts and materials at the 33rd annual Honda Supplier Conference, attended by representatives from more than 600 original equipment suppliers and more than 300 service parts suppliers, May 4-5, in Birmingham, Alabama.

During the conference, Honda emphasized the importance of quality and innovation as the key to navigating the future of changing customer demand. The company honored suppliers in two areas – those supplying parts and materials for mass production products and companies supplying service parts that serve the needs of customers after they have purchased Honda and Acura vehicles.

"The pursuit of quality is driving activity across our supply chain, and like our Honda associates we depend on suppliers to have the same level of passion to please the customer," said Tom Lake, vice president for North American Purchasing at Honda North America, Inc. (HNA). "Honda looks forward to working with our suppliers to strategically meet the needs of our customers."

Honda purchased a record $30 billion in parts and materials for mass production from North American suppliers in 2016, which supported record production of more than 1.92 million Honda and Acura passenger vehicles last year in North America. Honda also purchased more than $1 billion in parts from its Service Parts suppliers in North America last year. Honda has continued a strong cadence of new product introductions over the past year with the Civic Hatchback, CR-V and Clarity Fuel Cell.

OEM Supplier Awards Honda recognized 55 OEM parts suppliers, those serving the company with parts and components for mass production, for their performance excellence in three categories – quality, on-time delivery and value. Honda honored 13 suppliers for performance excellence across two award categories.

In addition, Honda R&D Americas, Inc. presented its Excellence in Innovation Award to Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC and Dow Automotive Systems. This award honors suppliers that achieve truly innovative results through breakthrough ideas. Bridgestone developed a new 18-inch tire that improved rolling resistance and a new 19-inch tire for the Odyssey Elite. Bridgestone's use of simulation technology saved valuable time in the development process. Dow Automotive Systems provided structural adhesives and acoustic spray foam that helped Honda deliver an Odyssey with improved cabin quietness along with improved structural rigidity and reduced vehicle weight.

The Supplier Sustainability Award, honoring a supplier that demonstrates an exceptional commitment to social responsibility went to Axalta Coating Systems of Mt. Clemens, Michigan. Axalta's introduction of waste reduction initiatives resulted in processing almost one million pounds of solid waste using a Waste-to-Energy technology that avoids landfill disposal and generates income from the recyclable materials.

Honda's 675 Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) provide parts to 16 of Honda's 19 manufacturing plants in North America that produce Honda and Acura automobiles and light trucks and the engines and transmissions that power them.

Honda Service Parts Suppliers Awards American Honda Motor Co., Inc. honored 44 suppliers for outstanding performance in supplying service parts that serve the needs of customers after they have purchased Honda and Acura vehicles.

Honda Service Parts suppliers also were rated on their performance in quality, delivery and value.  Distinct from the OEM supplier awards, the Service Parts awards are based on overall scores reflecting combined performance in all three categories.

Working with 1,183 Service Parts suppliers in North America, American Honda provides service and accessory parts for the more than 20 million Honda and Acura automobiles in operation in the United States.

American Honda manages a national network of warehousing and distribution facilities that deliver high-quality, high-value service parts to 1,300 Honda and Acura dealers nationwide, who consistently rank the company as managing the best parts operations in the automobile industry.

About Honda Honda established operations in America in 1959 and now employs more than 40,000 associates in its North American sales, R&D and manufacturing operations with total capital investment in North America exceeding $22 billion. Honda companies in the United States represent a cumulative investment of more than $17 billion and employ more than 30,000 associates in the design, development, manufacture, marketing, financing and servicing of Honda and Acura automobiles, Honda powersports products and Honda power equipment products.

Honda has been producing products in America for more than 37 years using domestic and globally sourced parts and currently operates 12 major manufacturing facilities in the U.S., including five auto plants. Honda also operates 14 major research and development centers in the U.S. with the capacity to fully design, develop and engineer many of the products Honda produces in North America. In 2016, more than 68 percent of all Honda and Acura automobiles sold in the U.S. were made in America, more than any other major automaker except one.

# # #