More crap(KIA) coming

[foxrun]

Kia may build bigger U.S. plant

As sales have grown, plans have expanded; Miss. site is not a given

 

Lindsay Chappell

Automotive News / December 26, 2005 - 6:00 am

 

 

Advertisement

 

Rising U.S. sales are leading Kia Motors Corp. to expand its plans to build its first assembly plant in the United States.

 

Three economic development officials familiar with the project say Kia is considering a larger factory than the one it spent most of this year planning. Kia is looking at sites in several states, although Mississippi was the initial choice.

 

Kia told officials in several Southern states this year that it envisioned a plant with 1,500 workers. But the development officials say the expanded Kia plan now involves 2,000 to 2,500 workers.

 

It's not clear how many vehicles Kia intends to produce at the plant.

 

Kia spokesman Michael Choo declined to comment on the plant's production capacity. "All I can say at this time is that Kia Motors Corp. is in the process of evaluating a number of options with regard to the possible expansion of its operations in the U.S.," he said in an e-mail from Seoul.

 

Hyundai Motor Co., which owns Kia, opened its first U.S. Hyundai-brand assembly plant this year in Montgomery, Ala. When it reaches full volume, that plant and a neighboring engine plant will employ 2,000 workers. The plant will produce 300,000 vehicles a year.

 

 

Target: 500,000 sales

Kia has ambitious plans to increase U.S. sales. It has targeted 500,000 U.S. vehicle sales annually by 2010. Kia does not plan to increase the size of its U.S. dealer network.

 

Through November, Kia sold 257,084 vehicles in the United States. That compares with 249,947 in the same period a year earlier. By comparison, Kia sold 160,606 autos in the United States in 2000.

 

Kia's evolving factory plans apparently caught some U.S. officials off-guard.

 

In September, Mississippi economic development officials were surprised when Kia President Chung Eui Sun revealed that Kia favored a plant site in Meridian, Miss.

 

That unusual revelation prompted a subsequent confirmation from Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour. But at a public meeting this month, Barbour acknowledged that Kia is worried that Meridian -- population 40,000 -- does not have enough residents to provide workers for the plant.

 

The East Mississippi Business Development Corp. has assisted Kia's study of Meridian. Wade Jones, president of the organization, declined to comment on the project. But he said, "We can supply a work force of 2,000."

 

Site search continues

Economic development officials in competing states say the automaker has contacted them. Those officials say they previously understood the plant would be in Meridian.

 

Kia now is considering a larger site in Chattanooga, Tenn., the officials said. Other sites under consideration are in Decatur, Ala.; Hopkinsville, Ky.; and Aiken, S.C. Kia also is reviewing sites in Mississippi, according to development officials.

 

Those familiar with Kia's requirements say Kia wants the plant to have visibility from an interstate highway. It also has to be close to Hyundai suppliers in Alabama.

 

In a separate development, Hyundai last week said it will invest $94 million to expand its new U.S. technical center in Superior Township, Mich. The center opened in October.

 

Hyundai had planned to employ 400 people there to engineer and test vehicles and components. But last week Hyundai said the center will employ 1,000 people within five years.

 

The company received a tax credit from the state of Michigan worth about $33 million for the expansion. The center works on durability testing, emissions and other areas.

 

Hyundai plans to add a design center and more r&d functions.

 

Crain's Detroit Business contributed to this report

 

You may e-mail Lindsay Chappell at lchappell@crain.com

[sailorjohn]

Kia may build bigger U.S. plant

As sales have grown, plans have expanded; Miss. site is not a given

 

Lindsay Chappell

Automotive News / December 26, 2005 - 6:00 am

 

 

Advertisement

 

Rising U.S. sales are leading Kia Motors Corp. to expand its plans to build its first assembly plant in the United States.

 

Three economic development officials familiar with the project say Kia is considering a larger factory than the one it spent most of this year planning. Kia is looking at sites in several states, although Mississippi was the initial choice.

 

Kia told officials in several Southern states this year that it envisioned a plant with 1,500 workers. But the development officials say the expanded Kia plan now involves 2,000 to 2,500 workers.

 

It's not clear how many vehicles Kia intends to produce at the plant.

 

Kia spokesman Michael Choo declined to comment on the plant's production capacity. "All I can say at this time is that Kia Motors Corp. is in the process of evaluating a number of options with regard to the possible expansion of its operations in the U.S.," he said in an e-mail from Seoul.

 

Hyundai Motor Co., which owns Kia, opened its first U.S. Hyundai-brand assembly plant this year in Montgomery, Ala. When it reaches full volume, that plant and a neighboring engine plant will employ 2,000 workers. The plant will produce 300,000 vehicles a year.

Target: 500,000 sales

Kia has ambitious plans to increase U.S. sales. It has targeted 500,000 U.S. vehicle sales annually by 2010. Kia does not plan to increase the size of its U.S. dealer network.

 

Through November, Kia sold 257,084 vehicles in the United States. That compares with 249,947 in the same period a year earlier. By comparison, Kia sold 160,606 autos in the United States in 2000.

 

Kia's evolving factory plans apparently caught some U.S. officials off-guard.

 

In September, Mississippi economic development officials were surprised when Kia President Chung Eui Sun revealed that Kia favored a plant site in Meridian, Miss.

 

That unusual revelation prompted a subsequent confirmation from Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour. But at a public meeting this month, Barbour acknowledged that Kia is worried that Meridian -- population 40,000 -- does not have enough residents to provide workers for the plant.

 

The East Mississippi Business Development Corp. has assisted Kia's study of Meridian. Wade Jones, president of the organization, declined to comment on the project. But he said, "We can supply a work force of 2,000."

 

Site search continues

Economic development officials in competing states say the automaker has contacted them. Those officials say they previously understood the plant would be in Meridian.

 

Kia now is considering a larger site in Chattanooga, Tenn., the officials said. Other sites under consideration are in Decatur, Ala.; Hopkinsville, Ky.; and Aiken, S.C. Kia also is reviewing sites in Mississippi, according to development officials.

 

Those familiar with Kia's requirements say Kia wants the plant to have visibility from an interstate highway. It also has to be close to Hyundai suppliers in Alabama.

 

In a separate development, Hyundai last week said it will invest $94 million to expand its new U.S. technical center in Superior Township, Mich. The center opened in October.

 

Hyundai had planned to employ 400 people there to engineer and test vehicles and components. But last week Hyundai said the center will employ 1,000 people within five years.

 

The company received a tax credit from the state of Michigan worth about $33 million for the expansion. The center works on durability testing, emissions and other areas.

 

Hyundai plans to add a design center and more r&d functions.

 

Crain's Detroit Business contributed to this report

 

You may e-mail Lindsay Chappell at lchappell@crain.com

 

 

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

You need to read the article. When was the last time you heard of any of the big3 announcing plans to employ more folks? One other point. Your friends in Dearborn used to sell a kia. Remember the Festiva? About the only good news here, the asian manufacturers are stealing sales (for the most part) from each other. Of course, those sales came from our percentages over the last 10 years or so. It's over, they're here and there isn't a thing you can do about it.

[foxrun]

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

You need to read the article. When was the last time you heard of any of the big3 announcing plans to employ more folks? One other point. Your friends in Dearborn used to sell a kia. Remember the Festiva? About the only good news here, the asian manufacturers are stealing sales (for the most part) from each other. Of course, those sales came from our percentages over the last 10 years or so. It's over, they're here and there isn't a thing you can do about it.

 

You sound like you like the KIA brand?

[sailorjohn]

You sound like you like the KIA brand?

 

No, no fan of Kia, or Hyundai, or any of them. That being said, they-the Koreans-have a lock on the US market for entry level new car sales. And they have made monumental improvement in their quality over the last 10 years or so. We are fortunate that they are for the most part stealing sales from other Asian brands at this time, none of it bodes well for the future, however.

 

[DRODMOTORS]

Ha ha! :P

[foxrun]

No, no fan of Kia, or Hyundai, or any of them. That being said, they-the Koreans-have a lock on the US market for entry level new car sales. And they have made monumental improvement in their quality over the last 10 years or so. We are fortunate that they are for the most part stealing sales from other Asian brands at this time, none of it bodes well for the future, however.

 

 

I agree with you here on all points, just would like to add a little more. This onslaught of transplants spells certain doom for the middle class of N.A. It was the unions that proved an increase in wages was a benefit to the general economy and this movement is counterintuitive. Now I understand that increasing the current account deficit(i know transplants seem to help americas deficit but they dont) might decrease the wealth here, it is at the same time increasing wealth where argueably it is needed more. This transference of wealth is argueable because it does not address the political issues well enough.

 

China's economy grows exponentially but its political structure is as hardcore as the days of Mao when he wanted to leap forward and killed possibly 30 million people. I understand the theory that with economic openness could come political openness, ok show me the signs? I have seen non.

 

The countries we call friends are not exactly democratic either Indonesia, Malaysia and Philippines are corrupt to no end. South Korea and even Japan are definately not deomocracies in the way we understand it.

 

And with all this N.A. has decided to funnel its wealth to this region thinking it positive. Capitalism really does believe money makes the world go round but it is the people. Just as Ford under Nasser thought it could buy its way to world wide growth and Toyota felt it had to happen slowly, organically and internally so goes with democracy.

[Bluecon]

I agree with you here on all points, just would like to add a little more. This onslaught of transplants spells certain doom for the middle class of N.A. It was the unions that proved an increase in wages was a benefit to the general economy and this movement is counterintuitive. Now I understand that increasing the current account deficit(i know transplants seem to help americas deficit but they dont) might decrease the wealth here, it is at the same time increasing wealth where argueably it is needed more. This transference of wealth is argueable because it does not address the political issues well enough.

 

China's economy grows exponentially but its political structure is as hardcore as the days of Mao when he wanted to leap forward and killed possibly 30 million people. I understand the theory that with economic openness could come political openness, ok show me the signs? I have seen non.

 

The countries we call friends are not exactly democratic either Indonesia, Malaysia and Philippines are corrupt to no end. South Korea and even Japan are definately not deomocracies in the way we understand it.

 

And with all this N.A. has decided to funnel its wealth to this region thinking it positive. Capitalism really does believe money makes the world go round but it is the people. Just as Ford under Nasser thought it could buy its way to world wide growth and Toyota felt it had to happen slowly, organically and internally so goes with democracy.

 

All the car plants in Canada are transplants. There are no Canadian car companies.

[foxrun]

All the car plants in Canada are transplants. There are no Canadian car companies.

 

And the U.S. is a well establish democracy so your point might be?

Trade is obviously good when done in good faith. OKOK the U.S. has been a bit of a suck when it comes to beef and timber but that actually adds up to little compared to the whole picture.

[Bluecon]

And the U.S. is a well establish democracy so your point might be?

Trade is obviously good when done in good faith. OKOK the U.S. has been a bit of a suck when it comes to beef and timber but that actually adds up to little compared to the whole picture.

 

My point is that the Oakville Ford Plant is as much a transplant as as the Ontario Honda plant or the Cambridge Toyota plant. Japan is also a democracy.(which is irrelevant)

 

They are all foreign owned companies.(not Canadian)

[foxrun]

My point is that the Oakville Ford Plant is as much a transplant as as the Ontario Honda plant or the Cambridge Toyota plant. Japan is also a democracy.(which is irrelevant)

 

They are all foreign owned companies.(not Canadian)

 

 

And my point is that Cambridge and Alliston are not unionized, meaning they have no independent working class voice, something that has proven to be a fundamental pillar of a true democractic system. Japan has NO MIDDLE CLASS VOICE.

 

If it is nationalism that concerns you then go sing a song with a flag of your choosing drapped around you. What concerns me is the circumstances one ends up serving under. As Bob said, you gotta serve somebody, and if all of us are caught under such a predicament then checks and balances are in order. That is where a working class voice must come in.

[foxrun]

There is a reason why Ford is refered to as a transnational corporation. It tries to transcend the laws and influences of nation states including the unions which are limited within those states and thier laws. Transplants from corporations that have never had any nation state tradition of listening to a working class voice are very dangerous by nature.

[Richard Smith]

And the U.S. is a well establish democracy so your point might be?

Trade is obviously good when done in good faith. OKOK the U.S. has been a bit of a suck when it comes to beef and timber but that actually adds up to little compared to the whole picture.

 

"Trade in Good faith" IMO is the key. The US car companies are providing a service to the Canadians and we are not trying to take over an existing car market and negatively affect the Canadians citizens. We have a free trade agreement with Canada and they look like us - generally like us - and generally speak the the same language. Our cultures are very much alike.

 

And "They", the Canadians haven't bombed our peaceful A**es in the last 65 years.

 

I support the American car companies, management, unions, military - with the problems they have.

[Glory_dayzd]

There is a reason why Ford is refered to as a transnational corporation. It tries to transcend the laws and influences of nation states including the unions which are limited within those states and thier laws. Transplants from corporations that have never had any nation state tradition of listening to a working class voice are very dangerous by nature.

Yes, and the profits are lost to the US economy in that the money flows back to the country of origin. A good example of this is China. I do not believe that people are are aware how truely dangerous China is. For instance, we buy their junk, since there is very little made in the USA left, and it is cheap. It becomes worthless (depreciation) as soon as you walk out the door. They put their profits into things that appreciate, such as US debt, and we have ended up oweing them more than any other country. They have gone from most favored nation to, before long, owning us. And they did'nt even have to fire a shot...

[Bluecon]

And my point is that Cambridge and Alliston are not unionized, meaning they have no independent working class voice, something that has proven to be a fundamental pillar of a true democractic system. Japan has NO MIDDLE CLASS VOICE.

 

If it is nationalism that concerns you then go sing a song with a flag of your choosing drapped around you. What concerns me is the circumstances one ends up serving under. As Bob said, you gotta serve somebody, and if all of us are caught under such a predicament then checks and balances are in order. That is where a working class voice must come in.

 

The USA is actually a Republic.

Declared independance in 1776 and fought till 1783 (with no UAW support) until they final achieved freedom from the British.

UAW started in ~1930s. (160 yrs later)

 

I am not concerned with nationalism. Only pointing out that all the car plants in Canada are transplants.

 

Actually what you consider a transplant is a non-union plant.

[foxrun]

The USA is actually a Republic.

Declared independance in 1776 and fought till 1783 (with no UAW support) until they final achieved freedom from the British.

UAW started in ~1930s. (160 yrs later)

 

I am not concerned with nationalism. Only pointing out that all the car plants in Canada are transplants.

 

Actually what you consider a transplant is a non-union plant.

 

 

wow what did you do today, pick up your semantic monthly.

POINT TAKEN canadian plants are transplants. If that is all you have to say and refuse to accept the difference between american and asia good for you.

 

Oh ya in 1776 there were no unions your right THERE WAS SLAVERY!!!!!!!!!

[JrsCobra]

As one of the sites that could be considered, Chattanooga could use a Kia Plant. Whats strange is that more and more American companies build outside, while Honda, Toyota, etc.. build in the U.S.

 

I'd never buy one, but I have to say we could use the jobs in Chattanooga!

 

jr

[sailorjohn]

As one of the sites that could be considered, Chattanooga could use a Kia Plant. Whats strange is that more and more American companies build outside, while Honda, Toyota, etc.. build in the U.S.

 

I'd never buy one, but I have to say we could use the jobs in Chattanooga!

 

jr

 

If Kia, Hyundai, et al thought they would have to deal with big3 wage structure, they'd build their vehicles in Mexico. If the big3 had the transplant's wage structure, they wouldn't be sending so much work overseas.

[Bluecon]

wow what did you do today, pick up your semantic monthly.

POINT TAKEN canadian plants are transplants. If that is all you have to say and refuse to accept the difference between american and asia good for you.

 

Oh ya in 1776 there were no unions your right THERE WAS SLAVERY!!!!!!!!!

 

This will explain difference between democracy and a Republic.

 

http://www.townhall.com/opinion/columns/wa...1/05/14145.html

 

Why do you start on that stuff when you have no knowledge?

 

I recomend you read the book 1776 by David McCullough and educate yourself. (this is an excellent book about the war of Independence)

 

I think Charly is on to something.

[Glory_dayzd]

There is slavery today; we are enslaved by our 'servant government', our constitution has been betrayed, and there is no 'America' for us to flee to... In 20 years, this country will not be recognizable, unless things change. I don't believe they will...

[foxrun]

This will explain difference between democracy and a Republic.

 

http://www.townhall.com/opinion/columns/wa...1/05/14145.html

 

Why do you start on that stuff when you have no knowledge?

 

I recomend you read the book 1776 by David McCullough and educate yourself. (this is an excellent book about the war of Independence)

 

I think Charly is on to something.

 

 

Honestly WTF are you talking about? So the U.S.A. is not a democracy? Then what is Goerge trying to export to Iraq Republicanism.

Remember the success of American capitalism at that time was primarily a result of slavery. Countries like China are boardering on that type of success today and ignorance like yours condones it. Are you suggesting that because America wasn't or is not a PURE DEMOCRACY then it is ok how China does business? Are you that opportunistic to disregard the human factor in how the world should be run?

[Bluecon]

Honestly WTF are you talking about? So the U.S.A. is not a democracy? Then what is Goerge trying to export to Iraq Republicanism.

Remember the success of American capitalism at that time was primarily a result of slavery. Countries like China are boardering on that type of success today and ignorance like yours condones it. Are you suggesting that because America wasn't or is not a PURE DEMOCRACY then it is ok how China does business? Are you that opportunistic to disregard the human factor in how the world should be run?

 

Charly was right

[foxrun]

Charly was right

 

I wouldn't be surprised if you were Charly.

[Kentucky250s]

I might be off topic here now but Kia was in the news recently as making the most unsafe vehicles hopefully that counts for something to someone :blink:

[foxrun]

Nobody cares, as long as they are dirt cheap with a long warranty.

Thats the problem. The consumer is king and they get over labels when the price is right.