This week, Honda Italia Industriale SpA celebrated the 50th anniversary of its foundation. The important milestone was celebrated with an event that saw the participation of Katsuhisa Okuda, Presidente Honda Motor Europe. The manager visited the plant in Val di Sangro which for years has represented the heart of the company’s activities and which today is the only two-wheeled Honda production site in Europe.
Honda Italia celebrates an important birthday
Initially, with the name of IAP Industriale, Honda Italy was involved in assembling motorcycles from overseas and importing Honda products on the Italian market. In 1976, however, the production of the CB125 began, the first example of Italian-Japanese collaboration in the world of two wheels. The bike was assembled in the Atessa factory where semi-finished parts arriving from Japan were used.
From 1981, Furthermore, Honda acquires direct control of the company which assumes its current name. Today Honda Italia can count on 600 employees (which rise to 900 in the high season). The company has a production line capable of producing up to 500 motorcycles per day.
The comment of the President of the European division
Katsuhisa Okuda, Presidente at Honda Motor Europe, he declared: “I want to congratulate Honda Italia on the 50th anniversary and I am very happy to be in Atessa to celebrate with you. I visited the production plant for the first time: I immediately noticed order and organization and saw the great motivation of all the Associates towards their work “. Okuda has also signed the special SH125 50th Anniversary made for the occasion and characterized by a tricolor livery.