HONDA: 'Future is now key issue' (From Swindon Advertiser)

HONDA: 'Future is now key issue'

6:43pm Friday 11th January 2013 in News

ONE of the people who lost his job before Christmas after working for Honda for 27 years was Mike Godfrey, who was chief engineer at the company.

He said he was extremely sad when he heard the news that 800 people were to be made redundant by his former employees.

“Having just gone through this procedure it certainly isn’t nice,” he said. “I feel concern for those people who are going to lose their jobs. But the key issue has to be the future of Honda in Swindon.

“They have had a difficult time with the recession and the European motoring market. I look forward to a future when Honda is strong and growing again.”

Mr Godfrey had previously declined to comment on his departure from Honda.

During his career with the company he held a variety of roles, including taking responsibility for safety and environment coordination, not only for the Swindon site, but all of Honda’s other manufacturing operations in Europe.

Mr Godfrey, who is in his late 50s was recognised as the friendly face of a Japanese company not comfortable with public appearances.

He was one of the major players in the opening of the first Academy Schools in Swindon and received the OBE for services to the automotive industry in the honours list.

He was a great supporter of what Honda had done for Swindon with its £2bn investment to the local economy.