Today, Mark Butler, Commissioner, Georgia Department of Labor met with Kumho Tire representatives as well as Mayor Robert Reichert, Cliffard Whitby, Chairman of the Macon-­‐Bibb County Industrial Authority, and Stephen Adams, Project Manager/Community Liasion to Kumho Tire. The meeting took place at the future home of Kumho Tire’s state of the art manufacturing facility. Construction is currently underway and the expected completion date is 1st quarter of 2016.

The Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL) is providing Kumho with its unique customized recruitment services. Customized recruitment involves helping Kumho develop job descriptions, recruiting and screening job applicants based on Kumho’s requirements, and referring those who are qualified to the company. Kumho staff will then conduct job interviews and decide who is hired.

“Our Business Services unit is working closely with Kumho and Macon’s economic development team to make sure that the company can quickly hire a skilled workforce and be successful,” said State Labor Commissioner Mark Butler. “Georgia lost more than 69,000 manufacturing jobs during the Great Recession. Kumho is helping our state and middle Georgia regain some of those jobs, which are vital to a strong economy. This plant will be an economic boon for this area.”

In an effort to bring an abundant, qualified labor pool a wide net will be cast, with the focus of recruitment efforts taking place in and around Macon-­‐Bibb County. According to Kumho officials there is an ongoing effort to fill 10 positions, but the large scale hiring events will not take place until the Spring of 2015.

“We are proud that our partnership with Macon-­‐Bibb County continues to grow and the Georgia Department of Labor can help facilitate our workforce recruitment efforts here said Jason Ahn, General Manager, Kumho Tire Georgia. Macon-­‐Bibb County was selected as the location of our first North American manufacturing facility for many reasons, but most importantly its strong workforce. We are currently in the construction phase of our project and expect production to begin in the 1st Quarter of 2016. Our main hiring phases will begin in the Spring of 2015, but we will need to fill approximately 10 positions very soon. The recruitment efforts taking place locally, as well as regionally have been a tremendous asset for our Company. We are proud to become one of Macon-­‐Bibb County’s newest corporate citizens and look forward to many years ahead.”

“This is a greatly anticipated project, and I’m delighted to see the progress being made on the site. I’m even more delighted they are beginning the process to begin identifying and hiring the 450 jobs they are bringing to Macon-­‐Bibb County,” says Mayor Robert A.B. Reichert. “The personnel, infrastructure, and community investment being made by Kumho Tires will have years of positive impact on our entire region.”

The Georgia Department of Labor will host a virtual job fair Saturday and an in-­‐person recruitment will be held 2-­‐6 p.m. Wednesday at Central Georgia Technical College, 3300 Macon Tech Drive, in the Building H auditorium.

At this stage, positions to be filled include: purchasing assistant manager, junior-­‐level electrical and machinery engineers, strategic planning assistant manager, accounting and finance manager and general affairs assistant manager.

The virtual recruitment will begin at 11 a.m. Saturday and continue through 6 p.m. Wednesday, the release stated. Those interested in applying for a position during the virtual recruitment should visit www.gdol.ga.gov and click on the “Featured Employer” link for Kumho Tire to get information on the positions and instructions on how to apply.

In an effort to have a statewide reach for these initial jobs there will also be a Job Fair in Norcross, GA. The Norcross job fair runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. this Saturday at the KAAGA Building at 5900 Brook Hollow Parkway.