Gun producer Smith & Wesson hosted a grand opening of its new Tennessee headquarters Saturday after shifting from its longtime house in Massachusetts to a extra gun-friendly state.
The firm constructed a brand new 650,000-square toes headquarters in Maryville, Tennessee, as a part of a $125 million relocation plan introduced in 2021. Tours have been supplied on the new facility on Saturday.
The gunmaker had been positioned in Springfield, Massachusetts, for the reason that mid-Nineteenth century, however firm officers have mentioned legislative proposals in that state would prohibit them from manufacturing sure weapons. Massachusetts is understood to have a number of the nation’s strictest gun legal guidelines.
Smith & Wesson President and CEO Mark Smith spoke on the occasion Saturday, which drew a big crowd to the brand new facility, The Daily Times reported.
“From where I stand, the next 170 years of Smith & Wesson are looking pretty good,” Smith mentioned. “It is something special here in Tennessee.”
He cited a welcoming regulatory surroundings and shut collaboration with the Tennessee state authorities as an important piece of the plan to relocate. The firm has mentioned the brand new facility would create tons of of jobs.
Tennessee has moved to loosen gun restrictions lately below Republican management. In 2021, the state handed a legislation to permit most adults 21 and older to hold handguns with no allow that requires first clearing a state-level background test and coaching.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”