November 05, 2009

Alabama Reports More than 3,600 Supplier Jobs Due to Kia

MONTGOMERY - Alabama is reaping rewards from Kia’s decision to build its first U.S. assembly plant just a few miles across the state line in Georgia.

The Alabama Development Office reports Kia is responsible for more than 3,600 new jobs at automotive supplier plants located in Alabama. Those workers are employed at 34 different plants in Alabama, including 12 new suppliers that located in the state since Kia announced its decision in March 2006.

Twenty-five of those 34 plants supply both Alabama’s Hyundai plant and the Kia plant in Georgia.

“Alabama has done very well with Kia and I want to thank all the local communities for their aggressive industry recruitment efforts,” said Governor Bob Riley. “When Kia announced its decision, we said nothing but good would come out of it for Alabama. With more than 3,600 new job announcements, 12 new suppliers, 22 existing supplier expansions and $704 million invested in our economy, we can now point to real benefits for Alabama workers.”

Those job figures do not include a sizeable number of Alabamians who are expected to work at the Kia plant and at suppliers located in Georgia, said Neal Wade, Director of the Alabama Development Office.

“We don’t know the exact numbers yet, but we expect 20-25 percent of Kia’s workforce will come from Alabama,” said Wade. “Once we were told Alabama was not being considered for this plant and Georgia was, we became one of Georgia’s biggest cheerleaders because we knew our proximity would result in new jobs here in Alabama.”

The Kia plant in Georgia began production this month.