Smith & Wesson Moving HQ to Tennessee

[.38SuperMan]

Wonderful post here.

The southern Appalachian region has changed tremendously even in just the last 20-30 years, in some ways positively and in some ways negatively. In my lifetime I've seen areas there go from yard birds and outhouses to mini mansions owned by people who live full time in Atlanta.

The economics have certainly improved, but some of the culture and flavor of the areas has been lost--of course that's inevitable.

I hope this works out for S&W and that the economic boost to the area is substantial. I also hope this can be done without changing what's so attractive about the place to begin with.

Things change and will continue to change whether we like it or not but we can direct that change and make it positive.

My dad moved the family here in 1951 when I was 3. He was an engineer and moved us to Oak Ridge Tn just a little way from Blount Co. Oak Ridge had been nothing but farms until the early 40’s when the federal gov decided to put 3 huge top secret facilities here. It was all about the war effort. They built what were called K25, X10 and Y12 these facilities were so secret the workers building them had no idea of what they were building.

The one called X10 was for research and produced the first plutonium, K25 enriched uranium into weapons grade material and Y12 built the components for 2 atomic bombs that eventually stopped the war. K25 is gone now and x10 is Oak Ridge National Lab and Y12 still exists and builds nuclear weapons plus does research like plasma fusion research.

Oak Ridge was transformed from farming to defense in months. The city of Oak Ridge didn’t exist until 1942 when roughly 15,000 moved in. We lived in OR from 51-58 when we moved to Knoxville. Oak Ridge at the time had more phd’s per capita than any other city in the US.

I’ve witnessed areas around me change. Cocke county, where I have several friends, has started to change. When you think of backwoods Appalachia Cocke county is what you thought of. Moonshining, drugs, cock fighting and illiterate people living in shacks is what Cocke co was. There’s still some of that but it’s getting hard to find. The free college Tn offers high school grads has made a huge difference. Kids are leaving the hollers and getting a college education. It’s amazing to see the change in just a few years.

Things are going to change but us old timers want to keep the values we live and keep our state a great place to live.

Just a little example, we don’t care if you fly your confederate flag in your front yard or have one flying from the bed of your old pickup. Kids at the high school 5 minutes from my house fly the stars and bars from the back of their trucks. No one even raised an eyebrow. It’s not racial, it’s about the history of our community. For years I lived on a confederate battle field. Burnside camped on my property during the war and a major battle was taught just minutes away. We still honor these folks that died and want to remember why they caught. We’re not interested in changing the street names to make a small group of people happy that know nothing about our history and our culture. Those people can go back to where they came from.

 

[FPrice]

For those of you who do not live in Massachusetts, or at least close enough to listen to the news media here, it's an absolute (expletive deleted) show. The media and politicians are trying to simultaneously do three things:

1. Distance themselves from the Massachusetts legislature's push to enact a law which would ban S&W from even manufacturing "assault weapons" (whatever those are), even for sale outside of the state.

2. Position themselves as the protectors of all those workers who's jobs will be lost (don't look at the loss of state taxes hiding behind the curtain off to the side). (Not to mention being such a friend of S&W and not being able to understand WHY the company would want to leave such a socialist paradise.)

3. Off-handedly reminding anyone who will listen that "assault weapons" (again, whatever those are?) are responsible for so many school shootings over the past years, to include the Florida shooting (in 2017).

What we need is a good, big increase in COVID19 cases to get this story off the top of the news.

 

[The Norseman]

From the Heart

Oh yea, thanks for the reminder.

Also in South Dakota;
Media is a 5 letter sinful word and
Politicians is a 11 letter “Bless your sweet heart” word.

 

[ggibson511960]

What would be really good news would be if S&W, and other firearms and ammunition manufacturers, could secure financial and insurance services from firms not influenced by woke political pressure.

 

[DWalt]

The Governor of TN was on Fox News this morning talking about how it was a wonderful thing that S&W was moving to TN, then went on about five minutes why TN was the best state in the union for businesses to relocate to. Good to have a Governor who seems to be pro-gun.

 

[cmj8591]

For those of you who do not live in Massachusetts, or at least close enough to listen to the news media here, it's an absolute (expletive deleted) show. The media and politicians are trying to simultaneously do three things:

1. Distance themselves from the Massachusetts legislature's push to enact a law which would ban S&W from even manufacturing "assault weapons" (whatever those are), even for sale outside of the state.

2. Position themselves as the protectors of all those workers who's jobs will be lost (don't look at the loss of state taxes hiding behind the curtain off to the side). (Not to mention being such a friend of S&W and not being able to understand WHY the company would want to leave such a socialist paradise.)

3. Off-handedly reminding anyone who will listen that "assault weapons" (again, whatever those are?) are responsible for so many school shootings over the past years, to include the Florida shooting (in 2017).

What we need is a good, big increase in COVID19 cases to get this story off the top of the news.

Like I said in my other post, as much as this is going to be framed in the context of the legislature passing a bill to stop the manufacture of certain guns, I think that has little to nothing to do with the move. That piece of legislation has almost zero chance of passing. In fact, I don't think it was even introduced. If it was, it was buried in some committee never to see the light of day. There is no stomach for gun legislation right now even here. Over the past year, police departments have been swamped with new applications for LTC's. Some have doubled or tripled the number of permits they used to issue before the end of the world started. Just about every gun club is maxed out and not taking new members. Try and buy a gun or anything to do with a gun. They fly off the shelf as fast as they get unboxed in the LGS and it doesn't seem to be slowing. Believe me, the nit wits on capital hill understand one thing and that's votes. They are looking at gun control as the third rail right now. The only ones who even talk about it at all are the liberals from Cambridge and Newton who don't have to worry about elections. I guess that this can be seen as a positive thing.

 

[cmj8591]

The Governor of TN was on Fox News this morning talking about how it was a wonderful thing that S&W was moving to TN, then went on about five minutes why TN was the best state in the union for businesses to relocate to. Good to have a Governor who seems to be pro-gun.

It's more about the Governor being pro business than pro gun. In Mass., out of the top 25 employers in the state, only two of them actually make anything. Raytheon and General Electric. And both of them are Govt. contractors. The rest are service industries with the top two being Brigham&Womens/Dana Farber/Mass General hoptipial group and Dunkin' Donuts. Work equals freedom and that's not what we do here.

 

[GaryS]

Former Tri-Town Plastics manager admits to violating federal firearm laws

The plastic molding company was originally a contractor making M&P pistol and other frames. They were based in CT. Some years back, they ran afoul of the ATF when a couple of employees decided to freelance and make a few extra frames.

S&W subsequently bought the company. My guess is that is the facility that they are shutting down. I just don't know if they moved it to Springfield first or not.

Smith & Wesson to Relocate Headquarters to Tennessee Smith & Wesson to Relocate Headquarters to Tennessee -The Firearm Blog

The Springfield facility will keep some of its manufacturing operations including all forging, machining, metal finishing, and assembly of revolvers, with Smith & Wesson confirming that the company will continue to employ over 1,000 employees in Massachusetts. The new site in Maryville, Tennessee will house the company’s headquarters as well as manufacturing processes including plastic injection molding, pistol and long gun assembly, and product distribution.

Dunkin Donuts sells coffee and food. That's not a service, it's a product.

MassGeneralBrigham provides health care. If you've ever provided health care, you know it's a lot of work.

It's more about the Governor being pro business than pro gun. In Mass., out of the top 25 employers in the state, only two of them actually make anything. Raytheon and General Electric. And both of them are Govt. contractors. The rest are service industries with the top two being Brigham&Womens/Dana Farber/Mass General hoptipial group and Dunkin' Donuts. Work equals freedom and that's not what we do here.

 

[adwjc]

Aside from the political and "business" aspects of this move, even though I am a big S&W supporter, it hurts to see these workers uprooted and see their livelihood threatened.

I grew up in NJ and saw the departure of many of the big manufacturers leaving for more "desirable"(read that as cheaper) locations, meaning non union, lower tax states.

I saw my dad lose two "good" jobs, One when ER Squibb bailed out of Brooklyn, NY, the other when General Foods moved Maxwell House out of Hoboken, NJ.

I knew many people who worked for Lever Brothers, American Can Co. Standard Brands and Colgate Palmolive, near where I live now, general Electric at one time employed nearly 40,000 in heir interrelated businesses, now 4,000 hang on.

All these were jobs where someone could get hired on and at one time, work their entire life until retirement at the same employer.

Times they are achanging.

 

[ejr10mm]

Talk to any New Yorker about Ohio, especially Cleveland!

Dad had a 1 year job in NYC in 1967, from his expierance, most people are pretty ignorant about anywhere they haven't been.

Ivan

And everybody thinks every New Yorker can be lumped into the same group as the NYC dweller! Couldn't be further from the truth.

 

[FPrice]

Like I said in my other post, as much as this is going to be framed in the context of the legislature passing a bill to stop the manufacture of certain guns, I think that has little to nothing to do with the move. That piece of legislation has almost zero chance of passing. In fact, I don't think it was even introduced. If it was, it was buried in some committee never to see the light of day. There is no stomach for gun legislation right now even here. Over the past year, police departments have been swamped with new applications for LTC's. Some have doubled or tripled the number of permits they used to issue before the end of the world started. Just about every gun club is maxed out and not taking new members. Try and buy a gun or anything to do with a gun. They fly off the shelf as fast as they get unboxed in the LGS and it doesn't seem to be slowing. Believe me, the nit wits on capital hill understand one thing and that's votes. They are looking at gun control as the third rail right now. The only ones who even talk about it at all are the liberals from Cambridge and Newton who don't have to worry about elections. I guess that this can be seen as a positive thing.

You have MUCH more faith in the probability that the Mass Legislators will do the right thing (even if for the wrong reasons) than many of us. But even if they do nothing, they still have their not-so-secret ally to do their dirty work.

Maura Healey.

The AG can arbitrarily decide what is right, what is wrong, what is legal, what is illegal, what guns you can buy and which you can't simply by AG fiat. And you KNOW that no one will cross her on this.

At least no one with any power to make changes.

 

[GaryS]

At least for now, most of the skilled work is remaining in MA. The forge, machining, and probably repairs are staying put.

Semi auto pistol and AR assembly, as well as plastic molding is what's moving. That and management.

This is a statement about politics more than costs.

Aside from the political and "business" aspects of this move, even though I am a big S&W supporter, it hurts to see these workers uprooted and see their livelihood threatened.

I grew up in NJ and saw the departure of many of the big manufacturers leaving for more "desirable"(read that as cheaper) locations, meaning non union, lower tax states.

I saw my dad lose two "good" jobs, One when ER Squibb bailed out of Brooklyn, NY, the other when General Foods moved Maxwell House out of Hoboken, NJ.

I knew many people who worked for Lever Brothers, American Can Co. Standard Brands and Colgate Palmolive, near where I live now, general Electric at one time employed nearly 40,000 in heir interrelated businesses, now 4,000 hang on.

All these were jobs where someone could get hired on and at one time, work their entire life until retirement at the same employer.

Times they are achanging.

 

[FPrice]

This is a statement about politics more than costs.

It's about time.

 

[cmj8591]

You have MUCH more faith in the probability that the Mass Legislators will do the right thing (even if for the wrong reasons) than many of us. But even if they do nothing, they still have their not-so-secret ally to do their dirty work.

Maura Healey.

I have NO faith that the legislators will do the right thing! At least for the sake of doing the right thing. I do have faith that they will do whatever they think will keep them in power. If they think that backing gun legislation will cost them support, they won't back it. My point is that there is a bit of a ground swell for gun ownership right now and it has not gone unnoticed by the idiots on Beacon Hill.

Maura Healy is the biggest pud in Mass. politics since L. Scott Harshbarger by the way!

 

[son-of-a-gun-designer]

Today is the end of an era... S&W moving.

Smith & Wesson moving headquarters from Massachusetts to Tennessee | Just The News

 

[cmj8591]

Dunkin Donuts sells coffee and food. That's not a service, it's a product.

MassGeneralBrigham provides health care. If you've ever provided health care, you know it's a lot of work.

Fast food is considered a service industry in economics. They don't manufacturer the stuff they sell. They prepare and serve it. In no way would I ever suggest that health care is not hard work. It's honorable work, to be sure. In fact, so is serving coffee at Dunk's. But neither job is a manufacturing job. My other point is that manufacturing jobs are few and far between and getting scarcer in Mass. That makes for an unhealthy economy. In one of your other posts you mention S&W's forge. I don't know what their plan for their metallurgy services is but I would think it would be difficult to move it away from where it is now. They also make a lot of stuff beyond guns. The last time I was there, they were forging golf club heads for Titleist and clutch forks for Harley-Davidson. I guess time will tell with that.

 

[adwjc]

I will have to talk to my brother he works as a tool/mold maker at the Deep River plant in Ct.

I'm not sure if he would move south as he is at or very close retirement age.

Key point!

There is more to moving than just packing up and starting again.

When Squib bailed out of NY, they offered new jobs to the people who worked for them 20, 30, almost 40 years. They could apply for the jobs they had in the NY plant, at much lower wage, non union (at that time), huge benefit (Health and retirement plan) cut too. And this move was just over to central NJ.

The senior people get crushed and left by the wayside every time.

 

[GaryS]

Proctor and Gamble (including Gillette) makes personal care products in MA.

Dunkin bakes their products locally for the most part. It's kind of a complex process because they have several central bakeries that send out to the local stores.

S&W forged a lot of components for Harley. And plumbing fittings for someone the last time I was there.

They might have resumed tours, but I'm not sure. The tours used to be done by retired employees and included lunch in the employee cafeteria.

Since you've been there, you probably know all of that.

Still, there are other companies making stuff in MA. Then there is fishing and farming.

No more ship building in Quincy though.

Fast food is considered a service industry in economics. They don't manufacturer the stuff they sell. They prepare and serve it. In no way would I ever suggest that health care is not hard work. It's honorable work, to be sure. In fact, so is serving coffee at Dunk's. But neither job is a manufacturing job. My other point is that manufacturing jobs are few and far between and getting scarcer in Mass. That makes for an unhealthy economy. In one of your other posts you mention S&W's forge. I don't know what their plan for their metallurgy services is but I would think it would be difficult to move it away from where it is now. They also make a lot of stuff beyond guns. The last time I was there, they were forging golf club heads for Titleist and clutch forks for Harley-Davidson. I guess time will tell with that.

 

[serger]

I thought of this:

"Welcome to Tennessee, patron state of shootin' stuff." - Bobby Lee Swagger

Video had some bad language


[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ch8zmNnJ4j0[/ame]

 

[jdlii]

Welcome to the Volunteer State!

Maybe they will have a factory store.