The Alabama SAE hosted a plant tour of the Honda plant at Lincoln Alabama. Having been through the Toyota Georgetown tour three times, the Honda tour did not include the stamping and welding areas. It was more watching assembly line workers versus getting up close and the raw materials processing. I probably won't head back because I go for the heavy equipment. But their associates had everything needed and the place was efficient. Honda takes pride in being flexible in their manufacture and the ability to make four different models centered about a co-located engine plant. One draw back of an overhead walking tour is we only see the backs of the employee heads. In contrast, we could see the faces of the Toyota workers and though it was a different time, my impression was the line was a good place . . . I just couldn't tell at the Honda plant. Everyone worked in company issued, white uniforms, as part of their approach to quality. Nice hosts and the SAE engineers were . . . typical engineers. The best way to amuse engineers is to put a technical problem in front of them. Bob Wilson
