KIA Motors Slovakia is now using the full productive capacity of its factory in Teplička nad Váhom near Žilina for the first time since production began there in December 2006. During the first half of 2013 the company manufactured 158,900 units, a year-on-year increase of 6 percent, the company wrote in a press release.
In the first half of this year, Kia Motors Slovakia, which has a theoretical annual capacity of 300,000 cars, also produced 253,200 engines. In February, the automaker began serial production of the latest three-door Kia pro_cee’d model and in late May began producing its high-performance version, the three-door pro¬_cee’d GT model, as well as a five-door model, the cee’d GT.
“We are glad that European clients, despite the unfavourable situation in the car market, can appraise our cars’ combination of high quality, attractive design and competitive price,” Eek-Hee Lee, president and CEO of Kia Motors Slovakia, said, as quoted in the company’s press release. “We believe that the new models, whose production we launched in 2013, will enable us to continue to use the full production capacity of the plant.”
Kia currently manufactures second-generation Kia cee’d range of models, the Kia Sportage SUV and the Kia Venga family car in Slovakia. The Kia Sportage made up almost 48 percent of total production during the first half of 2013. The automaker exported 24 percent of its output to Russia. Great Britain was its second biggest market, with 14 percent, followed by Germany (9 percent), France (5 percent) and Italy (5 percent). Around one percent of production was sold in Slovakia.
Kia Motors Slovakia is the first manufacturing plant of Kia Motors Corporation to be built in Europe. The plant was constructed between 2004 and 2006. It is one of the top three manufacturers and exporters in Slovakia.
