TIMMONSVILLE, S.C. – Honda of South Carolina Mfg., Inc. (HSC) is among America’s safest companies, according to EHS Today, a publication that promotes environmental, health and safety in the workplace. HSC was among 16 companies that received the award for 2013, which was presented today during a safety conference in Atlanta, Ga. According to EHS Today, the safest companies demonstrate employee involvement and support from management, while also providing innovative solutions to safety challenges, and reporting injury and illness rates that are significantly lower than the average for their industries. They also place prevention of safety incidents as the cornerstone for safety through training programs and by integrating safety into their corporate culture. “Our associates work hard every day to manufacture quality products safely, and without their efforts this accomplishment would not have been possible,” said Honda of South Carolina President Brian Newman. “I am honored that we have been named one of America’s safest companies. We will continue to work together as one team to ensure our facility remains one of the safest in America.” The 16 companies receiving the award represent diverse industries, including public infrastructure construction, textiles, facility maintenance, oil and gas, mining and manufacturing. Employment also ranged widely, from approximately 100 to nearly 70,000. “Companies named to EHS Today’s list understand the symbiotic relationship between safety and productivity, profits, morale and employee retention,” said Sandy Smith, editor in chief of EHS Today. “The marketplace is demanding that companies be sustainable, and they should be considered sustainable only if they protect their most important asset — employees.” Companies receiving the award will be profiled in the November issue of the magazine. Honda of South Carolina Mfg., Inc. HSC began production of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) in July 1998 with a workforce of approximately 200 associates. The initial $30 million, 200,000 square foot ATV manufacturing plant was the beginning of Honda of South Carolina’s significant growth in Florence County. In fall 2000, operations expanded to add engine production to the plant. Today, HSC employs 900 plus associates in its 655,000 square foot facility that now represents an investment exceeding $308 million. With the flexibility to produce many different types of powersports products, associates at the Timmonsville plant currently manufacture Honda ATVs and Side-by-Sides (SxS) for North American and Global markets. Honda Operations in North America Honda operates 14 manufacturing facilities in North America that produce a wide range of products, including automobiles, light trucks, engines and automatic transmissions, as well as powersports and power equipment products such as lawn mowers, mini-tillers, and general-purpose engines. Honda also operates major research and development centers in the U.S. that fully design, develop and engineer many of the products produced in North America, including ATVs and Side-by-Sides.