Rana Motors, the official distributor of Kia Corporation in Ghana launched a modern assembly plant of its own in Ghana marking a significant milestone in the company’s expansion strategy in the African continent. This latest development has placed Kia as a key player in the region’s automotive industry, focusing on Western Africa.
The launch took place on 2 May and was attended by Ghana’s President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo- Addo, Deputy Minister for Trade and Industry of Ghana Micheal Okyere Baafi, Regional Minister of Ghana Henry Quartey, and other important leaders in the country.
The collaboration with Rana Motors, Kia’s assembly plant in Amasaman is evidence of the strong partnership between Korea and Ghana, combining Korean Engineering Technology with Ghanaian dedication, capabilities, and passion. The facility equipped with the latest technology and staffed by highly skilled earn or engineers and technicians, meets Kia’s rigorous international standards to deliver only the highest quality vehicles to African consumers.
The state-of-the-art assembly plant stands as the largest in Ghana and the region, assembling six vehicle models and will expand to ten models in the next few months. It has a building area of 16,000 sqm and sits on over 65,000 sqm of land, with over 1,000 sqm of living area.
Chief Operating Officer, Regional HQ, Middle East & Africa Kia, Yaser Shabsogh said “This facility addresses the present needs of Ghanaian customers and proactively anticipates their future requirements. Our goal is to fulfill the demands not only within Ghana but potentially also across West Africa. We are excited about the opportunities that this expansion will bring”.
The initial operational capacity of the plant is 35,000 vehicles with plans for expansion to 70,000 vehicles. Due to the impressive size of the factory, approximately 6,000 tons of cement and 3,500 tons of iron and steel were used in the construction.
CEO of Rana Motors, Essam Odaymat spoke on the importance of fostering a stronger bond between Ghana and the Republic of Korea, noting “We humbly take pride in our role of enhancing the relationship between Ghana and the Republic of Korea by promoting excellence”.
The assembly plant addresses critical global challenges such as water shortage and energy consumption which aligns with the brand’s vision to become a sustainable mobility solutions provider. Both automotive companies have implemented a sustainable water approach featuring a stormwater harvesting system, enabling the capture and reuse of water runoff for daily factory operations.
The factory’s sustainable energy approach also includes natural light, ventilation systems, and heat insulation to reduce energy consumption. In the project’s next phase, solar panels will be installed on the factory roof, enabling the facility to generate its energy sustainably, covering all its energy consumption.
Currently, six Kia models are being produced – Kia Cerato, Kia K5, Kia Sonet, Kia Seltos, Kia Sportage, and Kia Sorento – and this portfolio will expand to ten models soon including the K2700, K3000, Carens, and Picanto.