Kia Motors Corporation has officially opened its new Indian production facility today in Anantapur district, Andhra Pradesh. Following a USD 1.1 billion investment by Kia, the new Kia Motors India (KMI) manufacturing plant is now fully operational.
The grand opening ceremony takes place just two years after construction began in the fourth quarter of 2017. The KMI plant is the new production home for Kia’s first ‘made in India’ product, the Seltos compact SUV, with other models to follow in the future.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by the Honorable Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh Shri Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy and His Excellency, Mr. Bongkil Shin, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to India. The ceremony was led by Mr. Han-Woo Park, President and CEO of Kia Motors Corporation, Mr. Kookhyun Shim, Managing Director and CEO of Kia Motors India, and key leaders from Kia Motors India.
“We are proud to open our new production facility in Anantapur today,” said Han-Woo Park. “Now fully in operation, our new plant allows us to serve the growing Indian car market, and export models like the Seltos to markets across the world in major regions. In the longer-term, it will also become a vital part of our global production network.”
Made in India: sales success for the new Kia Seltos
The first model manufactured by KMI is the new Seltos compact SUV. The Seltos, launched in India in August, was met with strong sales. A total of 40,649 units were sold as of November 2019.
“Orders for the new ‘made in India’ Seltos started just over three months ago, and high excitement and demand for the car means Kia already became the fourth biggest car manufacturers in India by volume,” said Kookhyun Shim. “Seltos with its unique design elements and specifications localized for the Indian market have made the model an overnight success.”
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SOURCE: Kia
