WEST POINT, GA--- Following the completion of a series of expansion projects to raise annual capacity, the first U.S.-built 2012 MY Kia Optima midsize sedan rolled off the production line Friday, Sept. 2, at Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia Inc. (KMMG), joining the Sorento CUV as the second Kia vehicle to be produced at the West Point facility. In addition to the physical expansion, KMMG recently added a third shift that raised the total number of jobs created at the plant to more than 3,000.

Representing an investment of more than $1 billion, KMMG began producing the Sorento on November 16, 2009. In addition to the jobs created directly at the plant, on-site and nearby suppliers have created another 7,500 new positions in the region to support KMMG's annual capacity of 360,000 vehicles in 2012.

Led by the Sorento, KMA completed a historic first half of 2011 with back-to-back best-ever quarterly sales and year-to-date sales have increased more than 40% over 2010.