Kia resumes operations at Anantapur car plant

Hyderabad: Kia Motors India on Monday said it has resumed production at its plant in Anantapur district in Andhra Pradesh after putting in place a comprehensive regime of safety measures.

The facility commenced operations on May 18 after getting mandatory approvals from the government authorities, the South Korean auto firm said in a statement.

Currently, the plant is operating on a single shift basis and operations will begin in full force only after the Covid-19 situation in the country normalises, it added.

The company said it invested the initial few days to ready its facilities, putting all safety measures in place for the well-being of its employees and vendors.

"These are unprecedented conditions and we are committed to adapting to the new norms of the world while we work towards normalcy," Kia Motors India MD and CEO Kookhyun Shim said.

The company's initial focus is to keep employees motivated, retain a positive outlook and deliver on promises to the customers, he added.

"The company's priorities are to clear pending orders for the Seltos and Carnival, and also to prepare the line for the eagerly anticipated compact SUV Sonet," Shim said.

The company's stakeholders, including suppliers and logistics partners, are all in-line with the current production and have assured support in case the auto firm has to increase production volumes over the coming days, he added.

Kia utilises the Anantapur plant, which currently has production capacity of around 3 lakh units per annum, to cater to both domestic and international markets