Kia Motors India suspends operations at Anantapur plant

The latest automaker in India to announce suspension of operations in view of the coronavirus outbreak is Kia Motors India. A few hours after sister company Hyundai Motor India stopped operations, the Korean carmaker has suspended all its operations with immediate effect. With this, the manufacturing facility in Anantapur (Andhra Pradesh) and company office premises will stop functioning until further notice.

A Kia Motors India statement said: "All our dealerships remain on call and are available to our customers for all their requirements via all our digital channels. Customers can also explore our website for more information on our leading products Seltos and Carnival and get in touch with us for additional assistance. We are also ensuring deliveries are not delayed for eager customers as well as service requirements are also being attended to, without compromising on strong safety precautions.

The Anantapur plant, spread across 536 acres, has an annual capacity of 300,000 vehicles and is also capable of producing hybrid and electric vehicles. The company has invested US$ 1.1 billion (Rs 7,755 crore) into this greenfield facility, and has plans to further increase total investment to US$ 2 billion (Rs 14,100 crore) into operations, products, R&D and market expansion by 2021.

The plant is equipped with technologies such as robotics and Artificial Intelligence. The plant also houses a five-acre training facility offering a basic technical course in automobiles for skill development to provide all the skills necessary for an entry-level job on the factory floor, in the plant.

Kia Motors India's plant is Kia's 15th plant globally and also its most advanced facility to date.