Kia Georgia Training Center Opens
Posted on March 25th, 2008 by Patrick Sands
(SEOUL) March 26 2008 — Euisun Chung, President, Kia Motors Corporation, was joined by Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue and other company and state dignitaries as they cut the ribbon today on the first building that will be part of Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia, Inc.’s automotive assembly complex in West Point, Ga.
“The opening of the Kia Georgia Training Center demonstrates the commitment and effectiveness of Georgia’s partnership with Kia,” Gov. Perdue said. “This center is the linchpin in providing both an opportunity for Georgia’s citizens and a quality workforce for Kia that will guarantee the success of this project.”
“The state of Georgia and especially Georgia Quick Start have provided exceptional support for our project,” said President Chung. “The quality of this training center is the best we have ever seen.”
More than 400 state and local officials attending the grand opening ceremony which was held at the new center. Joining Gov. Perdue and President Chung in the ribbon cutting were Byung-Mo Ahn, group president and CEO of Kia Motors America and Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia, Inc.; Randy Jackson, director of human resources for Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia, Inc.; Ken Stewart, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Development; and, Ron Jackson, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education (DTAE). Commissioner Jackson, whose agency led development of the center and will operate it through its Quick Start program, also served as master of ceremonies.
“We’re proud to provide a tangible link between the community and company with this facility,” said DTAE Commissioner Jackson. “This center is much more than a just a building – it’s a major step on the journey to a successful company and thousands of secure jobs our citizens can count on.”
The Kia Georgia Training Center is designed and equipped to provide pre-employment assessment training and job-specific training for team members at Kia’s $1 billion assembly facility which is scheduled to begin production in 2009. The center houses robotics, welding and electronics labs, classrooms and equipment for training on state-of-the-art programmable logic controllers (PLCs). Giattina Aycock Architecture Studio designed the building, and its construction was overseen by the DTAE and Georgia State Financing and Investment Commission.
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 is scheduled to begin production in the last quarter of 2009. At full capacity, the plant will have the ability to produce 300,000 vehicles annually and employ approximately 2,500 team members.
