Kia to roll out cars by June next

Penukonda (Anantapur): Kia Motors, India facility managing director Kook Hyun Shim, has described his company's partnership with Andhra Pradesh government as a role model worthy of emulation by others.

Addressing Kia Motors Framework Installation Ceremony held at the project site on the Benguluru national highway in which Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu was the chief guest here on Thursday, Shim said that the AP Government gave to Kia a grand reception and at every stage worked hand-in-hand with the company for creating the necessary infrastructure needed for the project works to take off.

The government officials’ cooperation was excellent and it was able to do substantial work in executing the civil works in the sprawling 550 acres project site. Shim revealed that the company has its manufacturing facilities in China, Slovakia, US, Mexico and now in Penukonda in AP state. The 75-year-old company occupied eighth position in the automobile world market and top in South Korea.

The president and CEO of Kia Motors Han-Woo Park speaking on the occasion said that the company's construction schedule is planned for completion by the end of first quarter of 2019 and will roll out its test vehicle and will go into commercial production by June 2019.

The company, he said, will produce 3,00,000 cars annually and generate 3,000 jobs in the form of direct employment and 7,000 jobs on a daily basis. "I believe Kia will bring amazing change and hope for both the state of AP and the entire country.

We are here to build more than just great cars. We aim to set a new standard of automotive lifestyle experience by providing Indian consumers with world class products and service, observed Park while addressing a galaxy of entrepreneurs, youth, local people and potential consumers.

He assured that the company will start recruiting 3,000 employees needed to operate the plant. The company also will work with AP government to set up a skill development centre for training candidates suitable to work in the state-of-the-art facility, he added.

A visibly happy Chandrababu Naidu lauded the government officers, including Industries principal secretary Solomon for working overtime to make the Kia dream a reality.

The Chief Minister described the day as a historic day and said that what is happening today is the beginning of a massive industrialisation of the district and that Kia has opened up windows of opportunities for transforming the area into an automobile hub. Kia is on the threshold of transforming the industrial landscape of the region. 

Naidu said that the Benguluru-Hyderabad industrial corridor will result in creation of Amaravati-Anantapur industrial corridor and as well as Chennai-Visakhapatnam industrial corridor with Krishnapatnam port in Nellore district as the focal point of development. He complimented Park for offering to be the AP brand ambassador for triggering an investment revolution and also in bringing further Korean investments to the state.

The Chief Minister said that there is a scope for boosting production capacity to 4,00,000 cars annually. He said that the day is not far off when the Penukonda plant would emerge into a Kia Motors capital by producing one million cars every year.  

The Chief Minister was excited at the development of the largest Korean residential township in Penukonda which will transform the district once written off as a desert in the making.

The South Korean automobile giant will be investing 2 billion dollars in the district up to 2021. Nearly 2,000 Korean nationals descended into the historic town of Penukonda to witness the grand spectacle.  Also the Consulate General Kim from Chennai was present on the occasion.

The district collector Veera Pandian and his team made excellent arrangements and SP Ashok Kumar made fool-proof security arrangements ensuring a hassle-free arrival of guests and the media personnel.