Last year, Kia broke its 2010 production records in Europe with 252,000 cars and more than 359,000 petrol and diesel engines rolling off the assembly lines at is Zilina plant in Slovakia. Compared to 2010, Kia’s European arm built 10 percent more vehicles and posted a 12 percent increase in engine production.
The South Korean automaker said that it is planning to further raise output in Slovakia, aiming to produce 285,000 vehicles this year, while the opening of a second engine shop in 2011 will allow the company to build as much as 450,000 engines annually.
“Last year was very positive for Kia in Europe as we achieved record figures for vehicle and engine production,” said Eek-Hee Lee, President and CEO of Kia Motors Slovakia.
“Our focus for 2012 is on embedding a regular three-shift operation so we can reach full plant capacity within the first quarter of the year, and then make preparations for volume production of the all-new Kia cee’d, which will be revealed at the Geneva Motor Show in March,” he added.
Kia employs more than 3,900 people at Zilina with all vehicles exported to Europe and Russia. The company’s biggest markets in the region are Russia, which absorbed 23 percent of total production followed by Great Britain with 10 percent, Germany with 9 percent, Spain with 8 percent and France with 5 percent.
The soon-to-be replaced Cee’d series accounted for 41 percent of production at the Slovakian plant followed closely by the Sportage with 40 percent.
