No. 10 Story of 2016: Largest manufacturing plant in 40 years opens in Macon
The largest manufacturing plant to open in Macon in 40 years was celebrated with a grand opening ceremony in May 2016.
The Kumho Tire Georgia plant began making tires a few months earlier, and the 1-million-square-foot plant has the capacity of producing 4 million tires a year. The company employs about 400 people.
Kumho, a Seoul, South Korea-based company, began construction in late 2014 of the $450 million plant, located in the Sofkee Industrial Park off Ga. 247 in south Bibb County. The seven-plant facility sits on 130 acres in the industrial park. About 100,000 tires can be stored in a multilevel tower. It is the company’s first U.S. manufacturing plant.
The opening brought to a close a plan started in 2008 when Kumho announced plans to build the tire-making facility. Production was to begin in 2009. Then the recession pushed back those plans until 2014.
Top 10 stories of 2016
No. 1: Seven midstate law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty
No. 2: Mercer basketball player slain outside convenience store
No. 3: Sam Poss slaying rocks Perry
No. 4: Macon Charter Academy closes after 1 year
No. 5: ‘Off by a foot’ leads to end of Macon tradition
No. 6: We’re in the grip of drought, and it just won’t rain
No. 7: Macon-Bibb voters pass $280 million SPLOST
No. 8: Road-rage-fueled shooting leaves one dead
No. 9: Tornado causes most damage in Houston since ‘94 flood
No. 10: Largest manufacturing plant in 40 years opens in Macon
This story was originally published December 23, 2016 at 12:00 PM with the headline "No. 10 Story of 2016: Largest manufacturing plant in 40 years opens in Macon."