Honda's second car plant at Swindon has been completed on schedule.

Preparations for the final recruitment stage are now underway which will lead to a total of 4,000 people working at the Swindon site. Employees at the new £130m site this week started low volume production of the new Civic 5-door. The official opening will take place in September when the plant reaches full-shift production rate.

The new 'No 2' car plant will increase annual production capacity at Swindon by 100,000 units, taking the total to 250,000. Full production should have begun by 2002.