Governor Perdue, Chairman Chung Break Ground for New Kia Motors Plant in West Point

Governor Perdue, Chairman Chung Break Ground for New Kia Motors Plant in West Point

Facility to Employ an Estimated 2,893, Plus 2,600 Employed by Suppliers

WEST POINT, Ga. – Governor Sonny Perdue and Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group Chairman Mong-Koo Chung today performed the ceremonial groundbreaking at the site of Kia Motors’ first-ever U.S. manufacturing facility in West Point, Troup County, Georgia.

“Today’s ceremony marks the beginning of a long-term partnership between Kia Motors and the state of Georgia,” said Governor Sonny Perdue.  “We are looking forward to many years of cooperation as Kia’s new plant in West Point creates thousands of jobs and sets the standard for the automotive industry.”  

The $1.2 billion automotive assembly and manufacturing plant will employ an estimated 2,893 workers and an additional 2,600 employees are expected to be hired at five supplier facilities in Georgia.

“Management and staff at Kia have enthusiastically worked to bring the company to a point where it is today one of the fastest growing players in the global auto sector,” said Chairman Chung.  “Now, the establishment of the U.S. plant will serve as a springboard for us to achieve our ultimate goal of firmly establishing Kia as a truly world-class global automaker.”

“Kia Motors will do our best to secure jobs and sustain financial growth in the area through transparent management and world-class quality assurance.  Kia will strive to become a responsible corporate citizen who contributes to the local community and preservation of the environment,” he said.

The facility in Georgia, named Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia (KMMG), is scheduled to begin production in 2009 and is expected to produce 300,000 vehicles per year at full capacity.  The 2.4 million square foot plant will be situated on a site covering nearly 28 million square feet.

Governor Perdue traveled to Seoul for a contract signing ceremony with Kia in March. Since then, the state has been preparing the West Point site for construction of the plant, and performing design and engineering on the interchange with I-85 and associated road work.  In that same period of time, the company has been working on the design and engineering of the plant.  Kia already has engineers and other employees working in offices in Atlanta and LaGrange.  A drawing of the West Point plant was unveiled during today’s ceremony.

The West Point plant will play a critical role in boosting Kia’s sales and brand development worldwide, bringing the company’s total annual overseas production capacity to approximately 1 million units.

Following construction of the KMMG facility, Kia will have the capability to localize all areas of its business in the U.S. – from R&D and production to marketing, sales and after service.

Since coming to the North American market, Kia has expanded to a full product line of vehicles and enjoyed 12 years of consecutive sales increases, including 304,137 vehicles in 2005. For September 2006, Kia has posted a year-on-year sales increase of 6.4 percent in the U.S. and Canada.

Kia Motors Corporation www.kia.com – one of the fastest growing automakers in the world – was founded in 1944 and is Korea’s oldest manufacturer of motor vehicles.  As part of the Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group, Kia aims to become one of the world’s premier automotive brands.  Kia’s 14 manufacturing and assembly operations in nine countries produce more than 1.3 million vehicles a year that are sold and serviced through a network of distributors and dealers covering 160 countries.

Kia today has more than 32,500 employees and annual revenues of almost $16 billion.  It is the major sponsor of the Australian Tennis Open and an official worldwide sponsor of the Davis Cup.  From 2007 to 2014, Kia will be an official automotive partner of FIFA – the governing body of the FIFA World Cup.  Kia Motors Corporation’s brand slogan – “The Power to Surprise” – represents the company’s global commitment to surpassing customer expectations through continuous automotive innovation.