Atlas Honda Ltd (AHL), a motorcycle production and sales joint venture in Pakistan between Honda and the Atlas Group, on Friday announced commencement of production at its new motorcycle plant in Sheikhupura. Takeo Fukui president of Honda Motor Co, Ltd and Yusuf H. Shirazi, Chairman of AHL, performed the inaugural ceremony.
Total investment in the new plant is approximately 1.8 billion rupee (approximately 4.5 billion yen), and increases AHL's annual production capacity from 400,000 units to 500,000 units. According to management of the company for the first time in Pakistan, AHL's welding, painting, engine assembly and motorcycle assembly processes are synchronised in one motorcycle plant, which creates a more efficient production environment.
Speaking on the occasion, President Honda Motor Co Ltd, Takeo Fukui said this new factory was built to meet the growing demand of the Pakistani market, a market with great potentials and is one of the important markets for Honda. "We believe this is a result of our motorcycle being well appreciated in Pakistani market." Chairman of AHL, Yousuf Sherazi said that this is a modern plant, which will be producing 500,000 units annually.