{"id":784,"date":"2019-02-04T08:12:30","date_gmt":"2019-02-04T13:12:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/awlcorp.com\/?p=784"},"modified":"2023-05-11T18:54:18","modified_gmt":"2023-05-11T18:54:18","slug":"kia-to-tap-savannah-for-telluride-components-brunswick-for-export","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/awlcorp.com\/?p=784","title":{"rendered":"KIA TO TAP SAVANNAH FOR TELLURIDE COMPONENTS, BRUNSWICK FOR EXPORT"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Kia

The south side of Colonel’s Island at the Port of Brunswick features an additional 400 acres permitted for development. Find print quality images\u00a0here<\/a>. (Georgia Ports Authority \/ Stephen B. Morton)\ufeff<\/em> <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

VERTICAL INTEGRATION AIDS SUPPLY CHAIN EFFICIENCY<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

SAVANNAH, Ga., Feb. 4, 2019 \u2013 At the Georgia Foreign Trade Conference today, Stuart Countess, chief administrative officer and vice president of Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia, announced that the Telluride, its new 8-person SUV, will begin crossing the Port of Brunswick\u2019s docks for global markets this month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe launch of the Kia Telluride, our largest and most refined SUV to date, will be a monumental achievement for KMMG,\u201d said Countess. \u201cFrom the support we receive from GPA with our inbound parts from our global supply chain to supporting our export of finished vehicles to current and future markets, GPA will play an important role.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through vertical integration \u2013 parts in via Savannah, autos out via Brunswick \u2013 Kia takes advantage of Georgia\u2019s extensive road and rail infrastructure, as well as its broader network of shipping line services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cKia has been a valued customer for the Port of Savannah since 2009, when KMMG first began producing vehicles for the domestic U.S. market in West Point, Ga.,\u201d said Georgia Ports Authority Executive Director Griff Lynch. \u201cTheir decision to export the Telluride via Brunswick highlights the benefits of having North America\u2019s largest container port and largest autoport within 85 miles of each other. Georgia provides the total package when it comes to auto manufacturing and global distribution.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Countess, Mark Boucher, director of vehicle logistics for the Volkswagen Group of America, and Gerry Lee, vice president of planning and logistics for Subaru of America, took part in the GFTC automotive panel, titled \u201cWhat Challenges Does the North American Auto Industry Face in 2019?\u201d One of the keys to success, the experts agreed, is a reliable and cost-efficient supply chain. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Volkswagen\u2019s plant in Chattanooga receives parts from the Port of Savannah and currently exports a small number of the Passat and Atlas models via Brunswick. Boucher said VW will soon launch a new version of the Passat and the company has \u201crobust plans for delivering the Atlas to more than 30 export destinations in 2019.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition, Boucher said the manufacturer was making an $800 million investment to manufacture and export electric vehicles by 2022. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jay Johnson, intercontinental logistics specialist for Volkswagen, oversees the import of parts supplying the Chattanooga plant. \u201cWe continue to build our partnership as our needs change and as the GPA continues to add more logistic values by improvements at the Savannah Port, as well as adding the Appalachian Regional Port,\u201d Johnson said. \u201cGPA has proven over and over again through the years their ability to assist us on many hard and difficult occasions.  We are thankful to have a partnership where sometimes you feel as if you are their only<\/em> customer.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Johnson added: \u201cAs a service provider, the Port of Savannah continually performs as an industry leader on many levels, especially when providing SSL Carriers, IT ability, discharge times, truck turn times and driver assistance. Their position on continual improvements assists our Chattanooga operations daily with a smooth, seamless supply chain.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lee said Subaru relies on the GPA to import its Forester, Crosstrek, WRX and BRZ models. \u201cThe Port of Brunswick is the right fit for Subaru\u2019s vehicle supply chain because it is a great location to support the retailers in our Atlanta and Orlando sales zones.\u201d  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another example of vertical integration among GPA\u2019s automotive customers is General Motors\u2019 Acadia. The Port of Savannah supplies GM\u2019s Spring Hill, Tenn., plant and, starting this year, will export approximately 12,000 Acadia SUVs through Ocean Terminal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Georgia Ports Authority performs a similar service for the Mercedes-Benz plant in Vance, Ala., with parts imported through Savannah and finished vehicles exported via Brunswick.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Find print-quality images of port operations here<\/a>. Georgia\u2019s deepwater ports and inland barge terminals support more than 439,000 jobs throughout the state annually and contribute $25 billion in income, $106 billion in revenue and $2.9 billion in state and local taxes to Georgia\u2019s economy. The Port of Savannah handled 8.5 percent of U.S. containerized cargo volume and 10 percent of all U.S. containerized exports in FY2017.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For more information, visit gaports.com, or contact GPA Senior Director of Corporate Communications Robert Morris at (912) 964-3855 or rmorris@gaports.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n