After weeks of toiling away in their individual departments, workers at Kia Motors’ West Point plant shifted operations Friday to work on their first completed car.

Kia Georgia spokesman Randy Jackson said em-ployees have been building, then breaking down car parts in their individual shops.

On Friday morning, however, the car went from shop to shop - as it will when the plant begins full production.

“It’s a continuation of the process we will do until we launch,” he said.

As part of that process, the line will be sped up to simulate full production.

The first completed car, a Sorento, will be displayed in the lobby once it’s put together. A full launch of the plant is expected in mid-November with a ceremonial first car roll out.

“Things are definitely starting to ramp up,” Jackson said. “We’re still on schedule. I don’t anticipate any show-stoppers.”

The Kia plant, built on land annexed into West Point, cost an estimated $1 million to build. Kia itself will hire 1,200, suppliers and related growth are expected to bring more jobs to an area hard-hit with textile losses. A study by Georgia Tech estimates 20,000 new jobs by 2012 across a nine-county area including west Georgia and east Alabama.

Kia hopes to hire an additional 1,200 workers next year as production increases and another model is built. Salaries range from $14.90 to $20.80 an hour.

The 2,200-acre plant site broke ground for construction three years ago.