New S&W TN facility - Photo

[cmj8591]

Vermont is a lovely state (physically), but let's get serious.

Vermont is the place where all the people too weird to live in Massachusetts go.

I get the whole idea of the cost effectiveness through modernization, and let's face it, that's the whole reason for any move in business, and I'm happy for the people of Tenn. who will get to make guns for S&W. But if you've ever driven up Roosevelt Av. to the front gate of the factory, you know the modern, sterile building in that photo in Tenn. will never have the same chops.

 

[GaryS]

Too weird to live just about anywhere else.

Part of the move was the political atmosphere in MA, which is not at all 2A friendly. I don't blame them although it's a shame it had to happen.

Vermont is the place where all the people too weird to live in Massachusetts go.

I get the whole idea of the cost effectiveness through modernization, and let's face it, that's the whole reason for any move in business, and I'm happy for the people of Tenn. who will get to make guns for S&W. But if you've ever driven up Roosevelt Av. to the front gate of the factory, you know the modern, sterile building in that photo in Tenn. will never have the same chops.

 

[.38SuperMan]

I found a 2014 NRA article on gun manufacturers in the south and they listed forty or so and that number is higher now with Kimber locating a plant in Alabama, Smith in Tn and Remington in Ga. Firearm Manufacturing Moves South | An Official Journal Of The NRA
There's a map on down in the article showing the company and where they located. Again this is 2014 data. Now we need Colt and Springfield to move down here.

You really can't blame companies for moving to friendlier states with lower regulations and taxes. Why would anyone locate or keep their business in a state that hates you and wants to put you out of business. There are just too many places in this country that would love to have the jobs and revenue and a lot of them are in the south.

 

[llowry61]

Vermont is the place where all the people too weird to live in Massachusetts go.

I get the whole idea of the cost effectiveness through modernization, and let's face it, that's the whole reason for any move in business, and I'm happy for the people of Tenn. who will get to make guns for S&W. But if you've ever driven up Roosevelt Av. to the front gate of the factory, you know the modern, sterile building in that photo in Tenn. will never have the same chops.

I can understand the historical side of the issue. There was a thread a while back on the Colt forum about the old Colt factory. MA has a long history with the firearms industry, and it is sad to see thing change like they have. It is happening all around us.

 

[cmj8591]

Don't get wrapped up in this move being about getting away from an anti gun state. First, there is not and never was any legislation introduced in Mass. that would have stopped Smith from manufacturing anything. Second, it is a big question weather the Mass. legislature can pass a law that prohibits a business from manufacturing something sold in interstate commerce. Especially stopping a business that has been doing it here since 1865. This move was about profit. In order to update their facilities to modern manufacturing capacity would have involved a huge investment in the Mass. factory. Massachusetts is a very business unfriendly state and it is costly to do business here. Plus the work force is limited and no one can afford to move here to work a blue collar job. Everything from energy costs to labor costs are more here than Tenn. Not to mention that Tenn., I'm sure, is giving them a sweet tax deal to get the jobs. This isn't the first time Smith has moved manufacturing out of Mass. I have a 1911 that was made in Maine and most rimfire's for about the last 15 years have been made in Maine. In this case, the company has decided to undergo a lot of modernization and from a business sense, it was more practical to modernize someplace where it would be cheaper and has an available workforce. That's a win for Tennessee.

 

[Alton]

Thanks for posting this 38superman, sometimes people post things they probably didn't mean. I am from Texas and I love visiting the NE where my daughter, son-in-law, and grandbaby live. Vermont, Maine, NH, and MASS are awesome. I love to eat so its nice to get something different beside enchiladas and BBQ. Now Salem this time of year gets pretty strange, but it is a fun tour. One of these days I will make it into Tennessee and Bowling Green Kentucky

 

[jjrr]

Looks like it might have been a nice area until that monstrosity arrived. But hey, never underestimate a southern states desire to squander their natural world for short term gain and 1/4 acre housing tracts. And you guys celebrating today, don't forget to come back in a year to complain about the traffic, sprawl and loss of open space.

Never underestimate the power of the carpetbaggers dollars. Where I live I have a front row seat.

 

[NFrameFred]

Don't sweat it 38superman - some folks just have to pee on someone else's umbrella. Living in WV it's a badge of honor being called a hillbilly by folks who don't have a clue. If I left WV TN would be one of the first places I'd consider moving .

 

[OLDSTER]

Holy cow! What a bunch of attitude. Now I regret posting this.

By the way the new headquarters is at the southern end of our regional airport. No open space squandered here.

Also those that don't like Smiths quality, it's not like there are no other choices.

Do a little research about our state before criticizing the people and the state. Just a few miles from Blount County we have a facility that manufactures nuclear warheads where the most highly skilled machinists in the country are employed. Just a few miles north Ferrari formula 1 heads and pistons are cast and machined along with Porsche heads and pistons. We also have one of the US national labs thirty minutes away. Many of the labs employs live in Blount County and commute to the lab. Just 5 miles the other direction we have a company doing proton research for cancer therapy and ten miles the other direction Siemens has a large operation where PET CT scanners are made along with cyclotrons to produce the isotopes. The PET CT was invented in Knoxville.

Tennessee values the business and jobs. We have a balanced budget, a fully funded state pension and no income tax. Our roads are great and the state funds two years of free community college for qualified students and free state college for people over 65. Were also one of the most business friendly 2A states in the country.

The old perception that we are a bunch of ignorant hillbillies is getting a little old.

I love your state. Spent lots of time working in the Chattanooga area and traveled through out Tennessee. I live in North Dakota, a huge contrast to Tennessee.

 

[cmj8591]

I can understand the historical side of the issue. There was a thread a while back on the Colt forum about the old Colt factory. MA has a long history with the firearms industry, and it is sad to see thing change like they have. It is happening all around us.

There's nothing wrong with nostalgia but in business it doesn't pay the bills. USFA found that out when they tried to make SSA's at the old Colt plant. As much as we like the good old ways, not everyone wants to pay for it. That's what is behind the Smith move. Producing a product that people will buy at a price that allows them to make money for their share holders. It's cheaper for them to build a new factory in Tenn. to make stuff than it is to do it in Springfield. It is as simple as that.

 

[llowry61]

I love your state. Spent lots of time working in the Chattanooga area and traveled through out Tennessee. I live in North Dakota, a huge contrast to Tennessee.

NoDak is a beautiful state. I used to visit and would rent a pickup truck and drive the backcountry roads. Pheasants, ducks, deer and Ag equipment on a scale us Ohio boys have never seen. The tracked tractors were awesome.

Did a lot of pheasant and duck hunting in SoDak never got to ho hunt NoDak.

My sister lived in Knoxville many moons agoe and when I visited my BIL would let me take his motorcycle up into the mountains for a ride. Beautiful country. We went to a steakhouse called the Butchers Block where you went to a cooler picked your steaks and then cooked them yourself on a grill right inside the restraunt. Had a great time.

I am trying to convince my wife to buy a small place there to winter rather than going to the Carolinas.

I love it there.

 

[Engineer1911]

That be one big pole barn. Good roads in Tennessee, maybe but not in Chattanooga.

 

[ancient-one]

A long time ago on our 40th we spent nearly a week using a Best Western at Newport as our base. We made day trips and meant a lot of nice people and saw some very interesting and beautiful country.
The motel had a huge copper still in the dining room and if you were staying there you ate anything from their breakfast menu free.
On a Sunday we ended up in a little Carolina town that had one restaurant open and was I glad. I am a ham lover and I got the best ham that I have ever eaten. Their Sunday dinner crowd had slowed and the owner knew we were strangers and sat down and visited with us. I was bragging about how good the ham was and when I ran out he got me another piece.
I can't remember the name of the town but they grew big fields of red peppers.
I would sure like to do it over.

 

[.38SuperMan]

That be one big pole barn. Good roads in Tennessee, maybe but not in Chattanooga.

I've been in Chattanooga several times this year and the roads are fine now. There was a lot of highway construction over the past couple years and you might have gotten in that. VW built a huge plant there just off I-75 on the north side and highways were a mess for a while.

 

[dmn57]

I've been in Chattanooga several times this year and the roads are fine now. There was a lot of highway construction over the past couple years and you might have gotten in that. VW built a huge plant there just off I-75 on the north side and highways were a mess for a while.

The interstates around Chatt - I-24 & I-75 - are nice enough although usually pretty congested. Roads in town range anywhere from quite good to quite bad, probably not unlike just about any town. And yeah, the VW plant is a big deal around here as far as jobs and technology goes. It's actually the North American home of VW electric vehicle production.