American Honda Recognizes BNSF Railway Company as a Top Supplier With Premier Partner Award

TORRANCE, Calif., Aug. 30 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- American Honda Motor Co., Inc. President and CEO Koichi Kondo today presented the company's Premier Partner Award to BNSF Railway Company (BNSF) of Fort Worth, Texas for excellence in rail transportation service. BNSF was one of 15 award recipients selected from 51 suppliers nominated by American Honda associates nationwide. This is the seventh year BNSF has received this award.

The Premier Partner Awards were established in 1998 to recognize suppliers who embrace American Honda's philosophy of exceeding customer expectations. The award winners represent excellence in a variety of industries including automobile batteries, railway transportation, information technology services, marketing services and much more.

"Honda's global success is directly related to our core philosophy of delivering the highest possible value to our customers through quality products and customer service," said Gary Kessler, American Honda's senior vice president of human resources and administration. "Today we acknowledge select suppliers who share in our philosophy and thank them for their dedication to American Honda's quality commitment."

"BNSF is honored to once again be recognized by American Honda, a company that has defined quality and customer service," says Marc Allen, BNSF assistant vice president, Automotive Marketing. "Like Honda, BNSF is committed to quality and continuous improvement to meet our customers' needs. We look forward to continuing to provide Honda with transportation solutions to meet their needs."

Honda is one of the world's leading producers of mobility products including its diverse line-up of automobiles, motorcycles and ATVs, power products, marine engines and personal watercraft. Honda is the world's preeminent engine-maker, with annual worldwide production of more than 19 million engines. On a global basis, Honda has more than 130 manufacturing facilities in 29 nations.

Honda began operations in North America in 1959 with the establishment of American Honda Motor Co., Inc., Honda's first overseas subsidiary. Honda began assembling motorcycles in America in 1979, with U.S. automobile manufacturing starting in 1982. Honda now employs more than 26,000 Americans in the design, manufacture and marketing of its products in America. Honda currently builds products in 12 manufacturing plants in North America, with three major R&D centers in the U.S.

A subsidiary of Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corporation , BNSF Railway operates one of the largest railroad networks in North America, with about 32,000 route miles in 28 states and two Canadian provinces. The railway is among the world's top transporters of intermodal traffic, moves more grain than any other American railroad, transports the components of many of the products we depend on daily, and hauls enough low-sulphur coal to generate about ten percent of the electricity produced in the United States. BNSF Railway is an industry leader in Web-enabling a variety of customer transactions at http://www.bnsf.com/ .