First US-Built Kia Sorento Rolls Out

Some three months ago, we were reporting the name of the first vehicle that will be produced at the KMMG plant in West Point, Georgia. Yesterday, the first US-built 2011 Kia Sorento CUV rolled off the production line, officially opening the gates of the plant. According to the South-Korean manufacturer, KMMG is expected to produce 300,000 vehicles at full capacity and employ 2,500 people.

"The start of production for our first manufacturing facility in the United States further demonstrates our commitment to growth in North America and we are proud to be adding 2,500 jobs to the local economy," said B.M. Ahn, group president and CEO, Kia Motors America (KMA) and KMMG.

Kia invested about $1 billion in the KMMG plant, which is currently the only plant in North America outfitted with wood flooring, which provides a more comfortable work environment for the employees. Furthermore, its general assembly area features more than a half mile of height-adjustable conveyors, to reduce physical fatigue.

The KMMG plant spreads over 2,200 acres, and includes a body stamping facility, a transmission shop where the 2011 Sorento’s six-speed automatic transmission is produced and a two mile test track in addition to the main assembly plant.

The plant’s 186-foot-long stamping press delivers 5,400 tons of pressure to stamp steel into 17 different types of vehicle panels for the new Sorento, operating at a speed of seven to 15 strokes per minute.  The massive stamping equipment spans from almost 20 feet below the floor to 39.4 feet high.

Kia Motors America also has a dedicated corporate campus and design center in Irvine, California, a state-of-the-art research and development center in Ann Arbor, Michigan and custom-built vehicle proving grounds in Mojave, California.