The Kia Motors Manufacturing plant in Georgia (KMMG) opened late in 2009, and was the very first site of Kia manufacturing here in the United States. So far, it's been quite the success, with plant workers turning out as many as 360,000 of the award-winning 2012 Kia Optima and Kia Sorento, annually. But the cars aren't the only things worth the applause - the whole team in Georgia is award-winning, too.

Most recently, Georgia named the plant the state's "Large Manufacturer of the Year," an award that speaks to the dedication of all of 3,000 employees at the West Point site. Governor Nathan Deal presented the award to Byung Mo Ahn, Group President and CEO of Kia Motors America. Deal remarked, "Kia's West Point, Ga., plant is a shining example of Georgia's commitment to supporting new industries in our state...Kia has continued to invest in our state and has delivered a tremendously positive impact in this region. I am so proud to be presenting this outstanding company with the large manufacturer of the year award."¹

How'd Kia make their transition to the States so successful? Ahn explains, "We have developed the 'Kia Way' to define the workplace culture and establish a 'one system/one team' approach at our facility...[It's] built on trust, mutual respect and open communication among all team members to ensure continuous improvement, and in our view, is a key element of the market success of Kia and KMMG."²

It's a relationship that we're sure will continue to grow over the years, and we look forward to many more American-built Kia's rolling into the Turner Kia showroom all the way up here in Pennsylvania.

Want to learn more about the Sorento, Optima, or any other new Kia model? Stop by and see us at 4201 Chambers Hill Rd Harrisburg, PA 1711. Or, drop us a line via our website to let us know which model(s) you're interested in, and a member of our team will get right back to you to arrange a test drive and provide you with specs and pricing details.

Source: ¹http://www.kmmgusa.com/2012/04/kia-motors-manufacturing-georgia-named-state%E2%80%99s-%E2%80%9Clarge-manufacturer-of-the-year%E2%80%9D/