ANANTAPUR: Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Thursday inaugurated the fully functional Kia Motors Production Facility at Erramanchi village Penukonda mandal, Anantapur district and assured the company of government support.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of Kia Motors’ first manufacturing plant, two years after it started construction with an investment of 1.1 billion USD, the Chief Minister said he foresees great hope not only for Andhra Pradesh but also for like-minded companies from all over the globe to set up shop in India, specifically in the State
“Kia Motors has done a wonderful job here. This plant once it is fully commissioned is capable of generating 11,000 direct jobs and another 7000 through its ancillary units,” he said and wished the company all the best in its future endeavours.
“We have a very proactive government here. You can reach out to us and we would extend every possible help whatsoever is required to make this plant successful,” he promised and thanked Kia for giving the State a wonderful automobile production facility.
Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to India Bongkil Shin said it was an exciting time in Korean-Indian relations and said he was privileged to witness the bilateral relations between the two countries scaling new heights.
“Korean companies motivated by India’s great potential are eager to establish a much stronger business presence in the country than ever before. The State of Andhra Pradesh with its vast potential and the business-friendly environment will definitely make Korean investors invest in the State in a big way. The success of Kia motors will further pave the way. As Ambassador I am committed to seeing Korean presence grow manifold in the State and I can count on the support of the State government,” he said.
Describing the moment as an important milestone, President and CEO of Kia Motors Corporation Han-Woo Park said he was overwhelmed with the consumer response to Seltos, the first Made in India product of the company, which has set a new record with 6,046 bookings in a single day. He attributed the success to impeccable planning and execution along with attention to detail and design.
“Our success would not have been possible without the support of the government which provided the perfect environment to make our dreams come true. It has been a mutually rewarding partnership and it only gets bigger and better in the coming days,” he said.
The fully functional production facility of Kia is capable of producing up to around 300,000 units each year, boosting Kia’s total global manufacturing volume as it entered the world’s fourth-largest new car market.
Kia now plans the production of additional models at its Anantapur plant and will commence production of its premium MPV model in early 2020. It also plans to introduce a new sub-compact SUV model later that year. Kia would be showcasing its next product for the Indian market - premium Carnival MPV - at the Indian Auto Expo in February 2020.
Earlier, the Chief Minister was given a tour of the production facility and explained each and every aspect of the production at the plant, which is the most technologically advanced plant of Kia’s manufacturing units across the globe.