Honda plant shutdown adds to manufacturers’ winter woe

Carmaker Honda is to shut its Swindon plant for 50 days as part of a dramatic cutback in vehicle production.

The shutdown, to take place in February and March next year, will reduce the plant’s annual output by 21,000 cars as the company readjusts to falling demand caused by the economic downturn. It mirrors similar reductions in production at Honda’s base in Japan.