All systems are go for a mid-No-vember production start at Kia Motors’ auto assembly plant in West Point.

“Definitely before Thanksgiving,” Randy Jackson, director of human resources and administration, said Monday.

“We’re building (test) cars as we speak,” he said. “The quality is coming in very nicely, and the supplier base is getting parts to us on time. Everything is coming together, so we don’t anticipate any problems.”

On board for the one-shift start-up are 1,200 employees, 400 of whom just returned from training at Kia headquarters in South Korea. More than 800 employees have been to Korea for one to three weeks, and some have gone more than once.

Jackson said the company may reopen the hiring process because “things are a lot different than two years ago” when 43,000 people submitted job applications online.

“We haven’t made a decision yet,” he said. “If we do anything, it will be in the next month or so.”

Jackson said he’s aware of the Troup County Center for Strategic Planning and its efforts to make a dent in the county’s high unemployment rate.

“I think we have to consider that,” Jackson said. “I think we have to pay attention to that and we will.”

Kia hopes to be up to 2,500 employees, maybe 3,000, by early 2011 and produce 300,000 vehicles per year.

“We’ll be ramping up to those numbers and looking at additional models,” Jackson said. “We’re still discussing what those will be.”

The plant will start with the next generation Sorento, a CUV (crossover utility vehicle) with a car chassis and an SUV body to “get a car ride with an SUV look and the room,” Jackson said.

About 800 Kia dealers from throughout the country, including John Lee, who owns the dealership on Lafayette Parkway in LaGrange, were on hand last week for a presentation at the training center and plant tours. West Point police blocked off Kia Parkway to set up an obstacle course, and the dealers got a chance to drive Sorentos built in West Point.

“The feedback was very positive,” Jackson said. “… I think we’ve got a product that people want,” with a best-in-the-business warranty of 100,000 miles or 10 years and good fuel economy.

He said he’ll have a better idea about the production schedule once the plant gets under way and more orders come in.

An 850-seat cafeteria run by Kimble’s Food by Design already has opened with a wide variety of foods, including an Asian line. IMC of Florida, which has a contract for medical services at the plant, will be hiring local doctors and nurses.

Here is a list of Korean businesses in LaGrange provided by D.K. Lee, a consultant with the LaGrange Development Authority. It includes the name, business type, principal official and address.

Auto Electronic America Corp (automation systems), Soon Bong Choi, president, 23 Bush Drive;

Banzai (restaurant), Man Yong Cha, owner, 1510 Lafayette Parkway;

Choi Kim & Park LLC (CPA consultants), James Kim, partner, 220 Fort Drive, No. 110;

Engineering World LLC (machine and system integration), Keun-Soo Lee, president, 378 Old Hutchinson Mill Road;

Fried Tomato Buffet (restaurant), Jin Chul Hong, manager, 122 Commerce Ave.;

Hanterin US Inc. (architectural design and engineering), Jonghan Lee, president, 1515 Hogansville Road No. 148;

INKO TEC (total engineering services), Soo Keun Sim, 1208 Kimbrough Road;

ITP Global Services (human resources services), Eun Sook Choi, president, 1508 Whitesville St.;

ITW DaeLim USA (auto oarts), Hyun Woo Kim, president, 50 SL White Blvd.;

Korean Church of LaGrange (First United Methodist Church), Young Jae Lee, minister, 401 Broad St.;

Korean Presbyterian Church (First Presbyterian Church), Nay Young Lee, minister, 120 Broad St.;

L&C Group LLC (Shell No. 3 Food Mart), Chul Y. Choi, president, 2750 Roanoke Road;

LaGrange Beverage Outlet (alcoholic beverage store), Shin “Peter” C. Song, owner, 1700 Lafayette Parkway;

New Heaven Baptist Mission (First Baptist Church on the Square), James Yu, senior pastor, 100 Broad St.;

OK Systems (mechanical total service), Ha Geun “Francesco” Ryu, CEO, 1906 Lukken Industrial Drive;

SBS – Steel Brothers of South Inc. (steel structors), Dae Hyung Kim, project manager, 107 Pegasus Parkway;

Sejong Georgia LLC (automotive exhaust systems), Hyo-Seung Kim, president, 1641 Lukken Industrial Drive West;

Sesin Engineering LLC (steel structure and automation), Jong Kun Owh, president, 378 Old Hutchinson Mill Road;

Seung Kwang LLC (Kia auto supplier), Yong Goo Cho, president, 119 Old Airport Road No. 320;

Sewon America Inc. (metal samping), Sang Hyun “Andy” Kim, president, 1000 Sewon Blvd.;

SnB Global Inc. (engineering and manufacturing), Myung Jin Kim, general manager, 2052 S. Davis Road;

Square Fusion Cafe (restaurant), Jung Yung Yoon, owner, 120 Bull St.;

Sun Park Commons (apartments), Man Yong Cha, president, 1283 Hogansville Road;

Sungwon Georgia Corp. (construction, electrical and telecommunications), Tae Un Kim, director, 102 Corporate Park E. Court;

Teriyaki Bistro (restaurant), Dong Geun Seo, owner, 1305 Hogansville Road, Suites B/C;

Victoria Jewelry & Repair (jewelry store), Yong Hee Brown, co-owner, 34 South Lafayette Square;

Wingate by Wyndham (hotel), Hyundai Marine and Fire Insurance Co., owner, 103 Wingate Drive;

Wiz Tech Inc. (total engineering), Jin-Hak Kim, manager, 378 Old Hutchinson Mill Road;

Yesac Georgia Corp. (automation systems), Jin-Weon Lee, president and CEO, 2046 S. Davis Road;

Yihan Taekwondo (Korean traditional martial arts), Jason Kim, grand master, 1314 Hogansville Road.

Joel Martin can be reached at jmartin@lagrangenews.com or (706) 884-7311, Ext. 235.