Honda Power Equipment, Alpharetta, Ga., will invest about $30 million in its Swepsonville, N.C., factory to add a third production line and make other improvements to help meet growing demand for Honda's general purpose engines.

The move will increase the company's capacity for multi-purpose power equipment engines by 50 percent to 1.5 million units per year in 2004.

The expansion will add about 200 new full-time Honda associates in addition to seasonal employment. HPE currently employs approximately 370 associates.

“This expansion will enable Honda to continue to meet customer demand for our engines — both for Honda products and as a supplier to other power equipment makers,” said Yashihiko Toyozumi, president of HPE.

The production line will have die-casting, machining and assembly operations, and will begin mass production in spring 2004. It is expected to reach full production by fall 2004.

The company's current 142,000-square-foot facility represents an existing capital investment of $114 million. The expansion will add approximately 70,000 square feet and a new assembly line to the plant.