Kia: mixed signals over car plant plans

Artists rendering of completed Kia automaking plant. (Courtesy/Dave Bender)

Local Kia officials on Wednesday denied a rumored change in car production plans for it's west Georgia plant, set to open in 2009.

Senior Hyundai officials in Korea were quoted on Tuesday as saying that the plant would retool to produce a small car, instead of a planned SUV model due to fast-rising gas prices, according to a report in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

But Richard Park, media-relations chief for Kia's Georgia operation confirmed that -- locally, at least -- they're still on track to build the larger vehicle:

“Right now, we're not giving any, any information from headquarters, officially. So, in my understanding, our original schedule will be ongoing. That's the only thing that I can confirm officially.”

As well, Randy Jackson, Kia's director of human resources and administration amplified Park's words in a statement released Wednesday:

“At this point, the next generation Sorento is the only vehicle that I can confirm we will be producing in West Point."

It's as yet unclear what impact, if any, a move to a smaller vehicle would have on the planned $1.2 billion West Point plant.

Officials say the plant will employ 2,500 people, and produce upwards of 300,000 vehicles annually.

Tractor clearing brush for new entrance road to Kia plant from I-85. (file photo/Dave Bender)

Click here for more GPB News coverage of the facility and its economic effects on the area.

KIA drops pickup truck from new plant

KIA Motor Company's parent company Hyundai has called off plans to build pickup trucks at the west Georgia factory now under construction.

Planning map of the now-under-construction Kia plant, at the West Point city hall. (Dave Bender)

Hyundai had reportedly planned to build a mid-sized truck at the KIA factory in West Point, which is set to open in 2009, according to an article in Automotive News:

"Hyundai CEO Kim Dong-Jin said the company's board in 'a recent decision' scrapped plans for a unibody pickup in the United States. Kim said the original plan was to build a mid-sized truck for Kia and Hyundai at Kia’s new plant in West Point, Ga."

“But we are forced to give up production of the pickup at the North America plant,” Dong-Jin said, according to the article.

Hyundai cited soaring gas prices, and a sluggish housing market.

Still, Kia officials say construction is continuing, and they're still training workers. They're also still discussing what models they'll produce, according to KIA Human Resources Director
Randy Jackson:

"Earlier we released that we'd be manufacturing the SUV as the first model, and then we have said our second model -- we're still under discussion to determine what that'll be, and we have not reached a conclusion on that announcement yet."

The plant will eventually assemble 300,000 vehicles a year.

Sign of the times on a West Point resident's lawn, supporting the Kia plant. (Dave Bender)

Click here for more GPB coverage of the KIA facility.