Kia Georgia Training Center opens in West Point

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2008-03-26 08:57

Seoul--(뉴스와이어)--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.

Photo captions: (1) Governor Perdue and President Chung pose in front of one of the machines that the workers will train on. (2) From L to R - Mr. Ahn, President Chung, Governor Perdue, DTAE Commissioner Ron Jackson, Ga Dept of Economic Development Commissioner Ken Stewart.

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Kia Motors Corporation (www.kia.com) -- a maker of quality vehicles for the young-at- heart -- was founded in 1944 and is Korea's oldest manufacturer of motor vehicles. As part of the Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group, Kia aims to become one of the world's premier automotive brands. More than 1.4 million vehicles a year are produced in 14 manufacturing and assembly operations in eight countries which are then sold and serviced through a network of distributors and dealers covering 165 countries. Kia today has over 33,000 employees and annual revenues of almost US$17 billion. It is the major sponsor of the Australian Tennis Open and an official worldwide sponsor of the Davis Cup. Kia is an official automotive partner of FIFA -- the governing body of the FIFA World Cup -- as well as a EUROTOP partner of UEFA. Kia Motors Corporation's brand slogan -- "The Power to Surprise" -- represents the company's global commitment to surpassing customer expectations through continuous automotive innovation.

웹사이트: http://www.kiamotors.com