Honda Needs Another Auto Plant, Analysts Say

Honda Motor Co. may have to add a sixth North American assembly plant to keep sales growing, according to four industry analysts.

The company’s factories in the region are already at full capacity, and it doesn’t want to ship more cars made in Japan, said Jeffrey Schuster, executive director of global forecasting for J.D. Power & Associates of Westlake Village.

Honda hasn’t announced a new North American factory since 1999 or added a production line to one of its five existing plants since 2004. The company said tight supplies of Civic sedans and coupes are restraining sales gains this year in the U.S.