Kia has gained a fast-growing production presence in the U.S. with the opening of Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia, Inc. (KMMG), its first manufacturing site in North America.
Opened in February 2010, the 2.2-million-square-foot plant is located on over 2,200 acres of land along Interstate 85 in West Point, Georgia. KMMG consists of four main shops: Stamping, welding, paint and assembly. The facility also features a transmission shop, module shop and a two-mile test track where every vehicle produced by KMMG is tested.
Each of the plant’s four main shops is undergoing a series of expansions that will raise the plant’s annual production capacity to 360,000 vehicles starting in 2012. Beginning in September 2011, the 2012 model of the award-winning Kia Optima midsize sedan will be built alongside the Kia Sorento CUV at KMMG. The 2011 Sorento has been Kia’s best-selling vehicle each month since arriving in dealerships in January 2010.
In addition to physical expansion, KMMG will also increase its workforce. A third shift has been added and nearly 1,000 additional employees have been hired, raising the total number of jobs created at the plant to more than 3,000.
“The success of the West Point, Georgia plant is the result of the dedication of our team members and the world-class quality that goes into each vehicle we build, and the increased volume and addition of new team members is further evidence of our commitment to the U.S. and local economies,” said Byung Mo Ahn, Group President and CEO of Kia Motors America and KMMG.
Committed to the local community as well, KMMG has been a responsible corporate citizen within the state of Georgia. When deadly tornadoes ripped through the state this past spring, KMMG was there to lend a helping hand. To support tornado relief efforts, KMMG donated $1.5 million to the American Red Cross.
Kia has solidified a vital presence in the U.S. with its impressive and expanding KMMG facility. Now the Sorento and Optima, two of Kia’s most popular vehicles, can proudly wear the “Made in the U.S.A.” label. Kia is quickly building its commitment to the U.S. one vehicle at a time.
