CARMAKER Kia has officially confirmed that it will extend its production in Žilina, which it first announced last year. Economy Minister Ľubomír Jahnátek held talks in South Korea last week with Mong-Koo Chung, the chief executive officer of Hyundai/Kia.
Kia Motors Slovakia spokesman Dušan Dvořák told SITA that the South-Korean carmaker would produce 300,000 cars and 300,000 engines in the Slovak plant annually. According to original plans, the plant was to produce 200,000 cars and 200,000 engines. The investment will thus increase from the original €800 million to about €1 billion (over Sk36 billion).
"We will launch serial production in the plant in November or December and will gradually increase it," said Dvořák. The South-Korean carmaker plans to manufacture about 150,000 cars in the Žilina plant next year. The full capacity of 300,000 cars and 300,000 engines should be achieved in 2009.
Kia employs over 1,500 people at the moment and by the end of 2008 should have 3,000 employees.
