New Kia plant in Georgia begins production
The Associated Press
WEST POINT, Ga. -- The newly completed Kia Motors plant in West Point is open for business.
Production began at 7:30 a.m. Friday on the first road-ready crossover vehicle. The first shiny new Sorento will be displayed in the factory's lobby.
The plant is the South Korean company's first U.S. manufacturing plant. It cost $1 billion to build and created about 1,200 jobs.
Kia broke ground on the plant, which is near the Alabama state line, and plans to hold a ceremonial first car roll-out on Nov. 16.
Kia has plans to hire 1,200 more workers next year as production increases.
On top of the jobs created at the Kia plant, Georgia Tech estimates 20,000 new job will be created by 2012 at Kia suppliers in a nine-county area that straddles the Georgia-Alabama border.
