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发帖数: 29846 | 1 Gunmaker Beretta, unhappy with Maryland laws, plans Tennessee plant
Scott Harrison
Gunmaker Beretta USA said Wednesday it plans to build a $45 million
manufacturing and research and development facility in Gallatin, Tenn.,
months after it expressed frustration with Maryland's new gun laws.
Beretta operates a plant in Accokeek, along the shores of the Potomac River
in Prince George's County. The company had been hunting for a new
manufacturing facility since the state passed stricter gun laws last year.
Jeff Reh, a member of Beretta USA's board, said that Tennessee's reputation
as a strong supporter of Second Amendment rights played a role in landing
the facility, a line that drew applause during Wednesday's announcement.
"It was that combination of factors that really pointed us in this direction
," Reh said. Beretta will continue operations at its Maryland plant, he said
, adding that "almost all the employees [in the Gallatin plant] will come
from Tennessee."
The new Tennessee site is expected to begin production in the first quarter
of 2015 at the Gallatin Industrial Park and will initially create 300 jobs.
Karen Glenn Hood, a spokeswoman for the Maryland Department of Business and
Economic Development, said the state has no indication that Beretta will
move their operations from the state.
"We've been in touch with Beretta numerous times, she said. "We understand
that this is a business decision. Beretta has had strong feelings toward
Maryland's gun legislation and have made it known they weren't happy with it
."
Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam said the project will be a "state-of-the-art
firearms manufacturing and R&D facility."
Reh said the company has an immediate need to start building various types
of sporting rifles and shotguns, which it will produce at the Gallatin plant
along with tactical product lines.
Beretta is the world's oldest manufacturing dynasty, operating since 1526 in
Italy, according to a news release. The company is privately owned and
operated by members of the 15th and 16th generations of the Beretta family.
Beretta initially started with a potential list 80 locations across seven
states, including Texas, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and
Virginia.
"It was really more the superlatives we saw in Gallatin and in Tennessee,
rather than deficiencies in any of the other [locations]," Reh said. "The
site was perfect. It's already ready for development. The level of community
support was better."
Beretta supplies sporting and self-defense firearms to consumers worldwide.
The company manufactures the U.S. Armed Forces M-9 pistol, the standard
sidearm of U.S. soldiers since 1985.
Reh and Beretta said that incentives were not the primary reason for
choosing the Gallatin location.
"While we talked about incentives, they really were not a factor until the
end of the process," Reh said.
Bill Hagerty, commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Economic and
Community Development, said that the incentives for the deal have not been
finalized, but would include standard tax credits and assistance on
infrastructure at the site. He did not have on estimate on the total
incentive package. |
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