The company needed 33 years to achieve the figure, beginning with the 353 Brisa passenger sedans it sent to Costa Rica in 1977.
Kia’s business saw an exponential growth, starting with just 1,050 units shifted in the first year, to 100,000 units in 1994. The 500,000 mark was reached in 2003, 26 years after its first shipment. After that, only seven more years were needed to double the figure to one million. Export figures have grown by a factor of 123 (that's 123 times more cars) since the first year of activity.
“This amazing accomplishment of reaching one million vehicle exports to Latin America is the result of our ceaseless efforts to elevate the level of quality and styling of our product line-up, while tapping into new markets and satisfying the needs of local customers. We plan to actively respond to the growing demand not only in this region but in other emerging markets like China as we further solidify our image as a top global brand,” stated Senior Executive Vice President & COO, Thomas Oh.
Kia Motors celebrated the milestone yesterday with a special commemorative ceremony at its main domestic shipping base in Korea, Pyeongtaek Port, which was attended by key company executives. Key export countries for Kia Motors in Latin America include Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Peru. The company is targeting the Brazilian market in particular that recorded sales of 24,808 units in 2009.
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