Kia Adds Thirds Shift at European Factory to Keep Up With Demand

Despite the harsh economic conditions in the European market, Kia has adapted will and is growing at at much better pace than other large automakers operating here. To keep up with demand, which has increased by 18.7 percent so far this year, the automaker is having to add a third production shift at its facility in Slovakia and recruit 1,000 new employees.

The new employees will be recruited by December this year, so the full production process will begin for the third shift in the first quarter of 2012. Will jobs will be for skilled candidates with a technical background.  It is also expected that several thousand new jobs will be created at component suppliers located across the Slovak Republic.

“The creation of the third shift at Zilina is the latest step in Kia’s long-term process of building cars locally to best meet local consumers’ needs and tastes,” commented Paul Philpott, Chief Operating Officer, Kia Motors Europe.  “Strong demand for all our models and especially our new Sportage compact SUV, made here in Europe, means we need to significantly increase production at our Slovakia facility.”