The Tamil Nadu government has offered 390 acres of land to South Korean automaker Kia Motors to setup a manufacturing facility in India. This was revealed by industries minister MC Sampath at the Tamil Nadu legislative assembly after a delegation from the automaker visited the state recently.
If Kia does establish a plant in Tamil Nadu it is likely to be one close to the current Hyundai plant and possibly a joint facility along the lines of the Renault-Nissan alliance plant in Oragadam. This would allow Hyundai and Kia to jointly manufacture their vehicles for both domestic and export markets as well as keep costs in check.
Kia has been looking to establish a facility in India for a long time and as per reports would arrive sometime in 2019. Kia, in whom Hyundai own a 33 per cent share, is South Korea’s second largest automobile manufacturer and sells a range of SUVs, sedans as well as sporty hatchbacks.
