Kumho Tire Rolls Into Georgia
South Korean tire giant Kumho Tire celebrated the grand opening of its $450 million manufacturing plant in Macon recently, joining a steadily growing cadre of auto industry manufacturers in the state. The plant - Kumho's first in North America - employs nearly 400 people and can produce a tire every 36 seconds.
Keynote speaker Georgia Governor Nathan Deal said, "The fact that Kumho chose Georgia is a testament to the automotive industry in Georgia." Gov. Deal noted the new plant was a long-time coming - nearly a decade in the making - and it was well worth the effort. "A lot of us have been waiting for this day for a long time, and we are glad it is finally here."
Kumho first announced the plant in 2008, but the global recession delayed the project until 2014. This latest entry in Georgia's accelerating auto sector is a major boon for Macon/Bibb County.
Quick Start is supporting Kumho's startup with advanced manufacturing training, quality and leadership development, customized training such as tire building technology, and other company-specific training.
"We have a complex and training-intense process with the latest in tire-building technology. Quick Start has not only understood our needs, but has worked with us to develop specific job aids and process specific training to support ongoing production operation," said Jim Frentheway, Kumho Tire director of human resources. "We see Quick Start as a primary benefit to those businesses like ours, who make the wise decision to place their operations in Georgia."
