Honda has chosen Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics (WWL) to manage vehicle processing and outbound yard management at its Lincoln plant in Alabama, US. The company is expected to start operations at the beginning of May.
As part of the contract, WWL will handle technical services, vehicle releasing, distribution and rail loading; more than 80% of vehicles produced at Lincoln are moved by rail for distribution using a number of North American rail providers.
It marks the third such contract WWL has with Honda, already being present at the carmaker’s plants in East Liberty, Ohio and Greensburg, Indiana. WWL also provides a proportion of Honda’s ocean transport and terminal services.
This most recent contract also marks the tenth that WWL has for finished vehicle processing from assembly plants in North America. As well as the three plants it now supports for American Honda and the recently announced contract for VW at Chattanooga, Tennessee, when production begins there in 2011, WWL supports operations for Nissan at its two plants in Smyrna, Tennesee and Canton in Mississippi, as well as for Suburu in Lafayette, Indiana. In addition it supports mixed OEM production from three Mexican plants located at Aguascalientes, Civac and San Luis Potosi.
Talking about the Honda contract Dennis Manns, vice president of logistics at American Honda, stated: “We are excited to further align ourselves with the expertise, quality of service and customer care that Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics offers. There is a reason that Honda has named WWL as a logistics partner of choice.”
The company was awarded 2009 Processor of the Year by American Honda at the end of last year for activity at the company’s East Liberty plant. It was the second year in a row that the company received the award in recognition of providing the "benchmark for all the other processing companies in the Honda logistics system".
The Lincoln plant has the capacity to produce up to 250,000 units annually of the Odyssey, Ridgeline, Pilot and Accord models and the majority of these are for the North American market. In 2009 84% of Honda vehicles sold in the North America were built by the company’s US plants.
“WWL is thrilled to announce additional vehicle processing business from one of our key and long-time industry partner, Honda. Our expanded land-based services, in addition to ocean transportation, demonstrates that auto manufacturers now have a vast network and reliable supplier to leverage for any and all logistical needs”, said Christopher Connor, President of Region Americas at Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics.
