Governor Deal Makes First Official Visit to Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia
Posted on January 19th, 2012 by Patrick Sands
West Point, Ga. Jan. 18, 2012 – Today, Georgia Governor Nathan Deal made his first official visit as Governor to Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia, Inc. (KMMG). Deal was greeted by Mr. Byung Mo Ahn, Group President and CEO for Kia Motors America and Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia.
“Since arriving in Georgia we have enjoyed a very positive and productive relationship with the state, and we are proud to showcase our facilities to Governor Deal and thank him for his support and the leadership he provides for the state of Georgia,” said Ahn. “Georgia has been an invaluable partner for KMMG, from the Port of Savannah where millions of dollars in equipment for our facility first arrived to the state’s Georgia Quick Start program which trained our more than 3,000 Team Members, and we thank Governor Deal and the people of Georgia for welcoming Kia with open arms.”
During the visit, Ahn led Deal on a tour of Kia’s $1.1 billion Georgia facility and explained the plant’s commitment to delivering world-class vehicle quality. The tour included a look at KMMG’s recently completed $100 million expansion that will increase the plant’s capacity to 360,000 vehicles beginning this year. More than 1,000 new Team Members were hired in 2011 to support the increased volume, and together with local suppliers, KMMG is responsible for the creation of more than 10,000 jobs.
“Kia’s manufacturing plant in West Point is a tremendous success story and a glowing example of Georgia’s commitment to supporting industry for growth,” said Deal. “Kia has continued to invest in Georgia and I have seen first-hand the positive impact KMMG has delivered to this region. In return, Georgia partners with global companies such as Kia to provide the resources that allow them to prosper and grow.”
About Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia
Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia, Inc. (KMMG) is the first manufacturing site in North America for Kia Motors Corporation based in Seoul, Korea. KMMG is located on 2,200 acres in West Point, Georgia, and began mass production of the 2011 Kia Sorento on Nov. 16, 2009. Beginning in 2012, the plant will have the ability to build 360,000 vehicles annually from U.S. and globally-sourced parts.
# # #
