HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Remington is once again moving jobs to Alabama after announcing it will be shuttering a plant in Mayfield, Kentucky later this month.
The Kentucky plant is closing as part of an effort to “improve our competitive position in the market,” said Jessica Kallam of Remington Firearms. An estimated 200 employees will lose their jobs in Kentucky, but some of those positions will come to Huntsville.
“You don’t ever like to see another area close down,” said Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, adding that he understands the business behind making the decision. “I think you can understand the economics of it and the idea of consolidation and how quality control can be done with consolidation.”
When Remington first came to Alabama in 2014, they agreed to bring 2,000 jobs to the state. The Huntsville facility currently has 300 employees, and 1,700 more will be added over the next seven years. The closing of the Kentucky plant will increase Huntsville’s numbers earlier than planned.
“We’re glad to have the work but we also wish the Kentucky area well too,” said Mayor Battle.
According to Remington’s website, the company designs, produces and sells sporting goods products for the hunting and shooting sports markets, as well as military, government and law enforcement markets. Founded in 1816 in upstate New York, the Company is one of the nation’s oldest continuously operating manufacturers. Remington is the only U.S. manufacturer of both firearms and ammunition products and one of the largest domestic producers of shotguns and rifles. The Company distributes its products throughout the U.S. and in over 55 foreign countries.
Remington first began considering new locations after the New York legislature passed the Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement (SAFE) Act in response to the tragic shootings in Newtown, Connecticut. In addition to banning magazines that contain more than seven rounds and requiring instant background checks on ammo purchases, the NY SAFE Act broadened the definition of so-called “assault weapons” to include a wide range of guns, including the Bushmaster, which was being manufactured at Remington’s New York plant.
Mayor Tommy Battle called Remington “one of the best operations in advanced manufacturing operations that I’ve seen in my time.”
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