Remington Firearms, the iconic gunmaking company, announced on Monday that it will be moving its headquarters from upstate New York to Georgia, ABC News reports.
Remington announced the details of the move, which include investing $100 million in the new facility in LaGrange, located southwest of the city of Atlanta, and hiring 856 people over the course of the next five years. The outgoing headquarters is currently located in Ilion, New York.
“We are very excited to come to Georgia,” said Remington CEO Ken D’Arcy, “a state that not only welcomes business but enthusiastically supports and welcomes companies in the firearms industry.”
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp (D-Ga.) also celebrated the move, saying that “Georgia’s firearms industry is responsible for thousands of jobs and millions of dollars of investment in our communities. I am a proud owner of some of Remington’s first-class products, and now, I am excited to welcome them to their new home in the Peach State.”
Remington is the oldest gun manufacturer in the United States; their very first guns, flintlock pistols, were made in 1816. But the company has undergone financial troubles in recent years, with its parent company, Remington Outdoor Company, filing for bankruptcy and shutting down last year. Remington Arms Company was subsequently purchased for about $13 million by investors with the Roundhill Group.
The move by Remington represents a broader trend across the United States where major companies are fleeing more heavily-populated coastal states, often run by members of the Democratic Party, in favor of southern states led by Republicans; the latter are widely seen as much friendlier to businesses due to lower tax rates, as well as fewer coronavirus-related restrictions such as mask or vaccine mandates. Last month, Elon Musk announced that his electric car company Tesla will be moving its headquarters out of California in favor of Texas.