A survey by the World Markets Research Centre has ranked Honda's factory in Swindon in seventh place in its annual European Automotive Productivity Index for 2003.
The definitive productivity study for the European automotive sector, its key findings include the fact that the average productivity of the four Japanese plants Honda Swindon, Toyota Burnaston (UK), Toyota Valenciennes and Nissan Sunderland (UK) was 87.5 units per employee in 2002, representing an impressive record exceeding the European average of 61 units per employee. In fact, Nissan Sunderland came top of the league, producing 99 vehicles per person in 2002, while Honda produced 82.
According to the WMRC: "The question as to Europe's productivity compared to the rest of the world remains a critical one.
"Although favourable or parallel comparisions can be made between European and North American productivity, there is little doubt that Europe remains some way behind most Asian plants in terms of labour productivity."
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