Honda Expands ATV Plant in North Carolina

While the powersports industry pores through the tea leaves and plans for economic uncertainty, companies are trying to work smarter, not harder. Honda recently announced a reinvestment of sorts in their longtime Swepsonville, North Carolina, plant. The expansion will eventually result in 19 new jobs for North Carolinians, but it’s not an example of re-shoring (or on-shoring) jobs from abroad, since ATV production had been migrating from Honda’s Timmonsville, South Carolina, plant since 2023.

Previously used for making lawn equipment and power tools, the Swepsonville plant took on all North American ATV production in 2023, meaning the FourTrax and TRX models. By renovating unused space in the plant, Honda will add production lines for front and rear fenders, side covers and other ATV components, for assembly under one roof instead of two (or more).

The Timmonsville, South Carolina, plant now makes all of Honda’s UTV lineup, meaning the Talon and Pioneer models. It’s basically a business-minded reshuffling of the deck, so to speak. Maybe it adds to the classic rivalry between the Carolinas? Regardless, it likely saves the company money in terms of logistics, cost of assembly and transport of parts.

To make this happen, $9,840,000 from Honda and a $160,000 state grant from the Rural Infrastructure Authority (RIA) will transform an underutilized 40,000 sq ft section of the factory into these production lines. The state grant was applied for and approved by the RIA through the Building Reuse Program, which aims to rejuvenate rural businesses by helping rehab and reuse vacant buildings, or support expansion in existing structures.

Congrats, Swepsonville, North Carolina.