Back in April, South Carolina enticed PTR industries to move from Connecticut. According to postandcourier.com the Palmetto state scored the slave state refugee by dint of its neighborliness. “Everybody here was so excited, so welcoming,” CEO Josh Fiorini told the paper, somehow avoiding the urge to say the words “tax breaks.” Not to be outdone (or over-taxed) Ruger’s decided to expand into North Carolina. “Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. (NYSE-RGR) announced today that it plans to open its third manufacturing plant, a 220,000 square foot facility in Mayodan, North Carolina,” dailyfinance.com reports. “This will be the Company’s first major expansion in over 25 years and it is expected to be finalized in August.” Wikipedia reckons the town’s per capita income currently sits at $15,607. That’s about to change.
Sounds like I can visit a ruger factory soon!
Welcome Ruger!!!!
Ahhh, I love that ‘fresh from the factory’ smell!
More-over, Fresh from the Fresh-Factory Smell .
Been here in NC all my life, and still had to google that town. Good for NC, it needs it.
Right next to Remington?
Looks like the south is getting some more jobs the Yankees think they can do without.I think that once this factory is up and running that production up north will be cut back.Love those Ruger weapons,own quite a few.Be prepared and ready.Keep your powder dry.
I live in New York, but would love to see every gun manufacturer move to the south, you know, the region that respects freedom.
+1
Wonder what guns will be made at the new plant?
I went to the “open House” they had here n NC a few weeks ago about the plaint coming here and they said it would be new line of long guns made here
Boy, given the way the antis keep saying that guns are a dying market, the companies keep finding a need to expand. Funny that.
They must be crazy right? Or they have the real data on their side.
I find it a very interesting fact that the union only won the civil war due to the overwhelming majority of firearms production being in the northeast. With the latest trends of manufacturing moving to the south or the midwest, I would think NE pols would be a little worried about not being able to compete should a domestic altercation break out. Those who refuse to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.
The North had production and manpower. The South couldn’t even keep shoes on it’s soldiers feet. Having to replace artillery and ammunition thru capturing the enemies supplies is not a war winning strategy.
The North also won because of its railroads. They could move troops and supplies quickly and cheaply, while the South had nowhere near as much access to easy mobilization.
http://www.ushistoryscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/railroad2.jpg
I wonder why Ruger didn’t expand production in the gun friendly state of Arizona? They already have a major handgun manufacturing facility in Prescott. Maybe the Republicans who run the state aren’t properly motivated by their constituents to get more good paying factory jobs.
Maybe it’s simply sn effort at diversification. Possibly for political reasons as you stated.
Could also be that there’s a lower cost of living, and thus lower labor costs in the area.
While I can’t agree with all of Ruger’s actions in the past, lately they’ve been doing pretty well, and have always made quality economy firearms. I can’t think of any Ruger firearm that I would classify as the best in it’s class other than perhaps the 10/22, but even the heavy/crude p90dc I used to own always went bang.
True story. When Ruger built their plant in Prescott, AZ, home prices were very low. In the mid-90s, a lot of people cashed out of their places on the east and west coasts, and – with way too much cash on hand – bid up the prices of of land in the area to way above, say, most Phoenix neighborhoods (60 miles away).
Or maybe they’ve got all the union labor they care to have.
NOT to slam unions, I have positions on both sides of the issue, but all in all, unions have been good for American labor. More good than bad, anyway.
They were 70-80 years ago. Their lack of strategic creativity and adversarial posture has made them anachronisms in the modern business environment. Their Marxist ideologies among the leadership make them parasites of both their rank and file and the companies on which they depend. Union leaders are now the only beneficiaries of unions themselves.
Arizona is a Right-To-Work state. Unions have little leverage here, unless they actually serve the rank-and-file members.
Wooooo!
Now to look up where the hell Mayodan is…
Due north of Kernersville. Close to the Virginia border. Maybe 20 miles or so west of Reidsville. Pretty country and about in the middle of nowhere. Not too far from Winston Salem or Greensboro, but not really convenient either.
Gotcha. Passed underneath it on 40 many a time, but never spent anytime in that area of the state.
The impact will be far greater than just one factory.
Related ‘machine-based’ industries could pop up around the factory to share the same pool of skilled employees. The supply infrastructure that supports the Ruger factory will also spawn it’s own offspring. And as wages in the area increase, consumer goods and service providers from totally unrelated fields will find a market.
How could Connecticut be so stupid as to throw this away?
Because they’re stubborn. AND stupid. Two qualities, by the way, that used to be used to describe the South.
Good for Ruger, and for NC.
Bout time they make another plant. Finding a sp101 in my area is like looking for a 4 leaf clover.
I just submitted a “Tell the CEO” form on the Ruger website, thanking them for choosing my state of NC.
I read in one of the news articles about this, that Ruger plans on holding thier corporate offices in CT because the CEO wants to “stay and fight” for more 2A friendly laws in that state?
Also I read in another article that they were opening new facilities rather than expanding the existing facility in AZ because they felt that once a facility gets over 1,000 workers it is easier to lose touch with the people and what is going on.
That same article also said the new facility would be for new product introductions, and not for existing products… I am hoping it will be the return of Ruger shotguns. Whatever is produced there, as a NC native I will be first in line to buy one.
Let’s hope it’s so they can re-introduce the .44mag carbine.
Amen!
I used to drive through Mayodan regularly to visit my folks in the VA mountains. Glad to see a second gun manufacturer in that area. If you ever go for a factory visit after it is complete, stop by Fuzzys barbecue. The best in the area hands down.
Who is the other gun manufacturer? My Dad used to live in Kernersville.
The other is Remington. They didn’t do any manufacturing, but they have a call center in Mayodan.
Remington’s entire corporate office is in Madison, which borders Mayodan. They have a call center there too.
Good for North Carolina. I look forward to adding a NC-built 10/22 or Blackhawk to my collection.
The former gun industry states are going the way of Detroit….
In an Editorial in the Manchester Union Leader today, the stated reason for not expanding in NH was Right to Work. NH is not a Right to Work state, so it was not considered, even though Ruger employes 1300 people in Newport, NH
The article is at http://www.unionleader.com/article/20130711/OPINION01/130719911
Ruger will be either leasing or buying an old UNIFI textile plant in Mayodan for it’s expansion. I’m sure they got a GOOD DEAL on it and some tax incentives. NC is already home to Para, IOinc, Delton, and Barnes Precision.
Welcome Ruger! I love your guns and am also looking forward to coming and visiting the factory and buying a home grown scout!! Thank you for choosing our state!!
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