Dongfeng Yueda Kia Automobile Co. obtained approval from local environmental regulators to expand output at one of its three assembly plants in Yancheng.
The factory in east China's Jiangsu province is owned and operated by a three-way partnership of Kia Motors and two Chinese companies, Dongfeng Motor Corp. and Jiangsu Yueda Investment Co.
The joint venture plans to invest 2.9 billion yuan ($439 million) to upgrade its third assembly plant in Yancheng.
The upgraded factory will build as many as 450,000 vehicles a year, up from 300,000 vehicles, according to the Jiangsu province's environmental protection bureau.
After the expansion, Kia's three Yancheng factories will have combined annual capacity of 890,000 vehicles.
The Korean automaker did not disclose a timeline for plant expansions.
Dongfeng Yueda Kia was established in 2002. The venture aims to sell 680,000 vehicles in China this year, up from 616,100 vehicles in 2015.
Source:Automotive News China