Blue states have become increasingly antagonistic to the Second Amendment, and red states are benefiting enormously from their choices.
In September, 2021, Smith & Wesson announced that it was moving to Tennessee from Springfield, Massachusetts, and now Remington Firearms announces that it is moving its headquarters from New York to LaGrange, Georgia.
In its announcement of their move, Smith & Wesson cited stifling Massachusetts restrictions as part of the reason for their decision.
Mark Smith, President and Chief Executive Officer, said “This has been an extremely difficult and emotional decision for us, but after an exhaustive and thorough analysis, for the continued health and strength of our iconic company, we feel that we have been left with no other alternative.” He specifically cited legislation recently proposed in Massachusetts that, if enacted, would prohibit the company from manufacturing certain firearms in the state.”These bills would prevent Smith & Wesson from manufacturing firearms that are legal in almost every state in America and that are safely used by tens of millions of law-abiding citizens every day exercising their Constitutional 2nd Amendment rights, protecting themselves and their families, and enjoying the shooting sports. While we are hopeful that this arbitrary and damaging legislation will be defeated in this session, these products made up over 60% of our revenue last year, and the unfortunate likelihood that such restrictions would be raised again led to a review of the best path forward for Smith & Wesson.”Smith indicated that the company vetted a number of cities and states and, after careful consideration, made the decision to relocate 750 jobs and its headquarters to Maryville, Tennessee. The key factors in the decision included the following:
- Support for the 2nd Amendment
- Business friendly environment
- Quality of life for employees
- Cost of living and affordability
- Access to higher education institutions
- Availability of qualified labor for its operations and headquarter functions
- Favorable location for efficiency of distribution
Similarly, Remington alludes to a lack of support for the Second Amendment and the anti-business policies in New York for their decision.
“We are very excited to come to Georgia, a state that not only welcomes business but enthusiastically supports and welcomes companies in the firearms industry,” said Ken D’Arcy, RemArms CEO. “Between the support we’ve received from the state and from Scott Malone and Kelley Bush of the City of LaGrange Economic Development Authority, we cannot wait to expand our company in Georgia. Everyone involved in this process has shown how important business is to the state and how welcoming they are to all business, including the firearms industry.”The company will be hiring for positions in production, operations, engineering, and management, as well as careers in HR, finance, and administration in Remington’s onsite executive offices. For more information, please visit www.remarms.com.“I am thrilled to welcome Remington Firearms to the growing list of manufacturers who call LaGrange home,” said Mayor of LaGrange Jim Thornton. “The Remington name has long been associated with great products, and I know they will continue that tradition and be very successful here. I applaud the partnership with Governor Kemp and the economic development teams at the state and at the city that help attract great companies to our community.”
The move will be a boon to LaGrange, with an agreed-upon $100 million investment and over 800 Remington jobs over five years.
Remington Firearms, the country’s oldest gun manufacturer, will be moving its headquarters from Ilion, New York, to Georgia, the company announced Monday.As part of the deal, the company said it would invest $100 million in the operation and hire 856 people over a five-year period in Troup County.
CLICK HERE FOR FULL VERSION OF THIS STORY