Remington Arms returns from bankruptcy and moves to Georgia

Remington Arms Company is one of the country's oldest gun manufacturers and claims to run the oldest factory in the US that still makes its original product. However, after the company's most recent bankruptcy, Remington has announced its departure from its historic home of Ilion, New York.

In 1816, Eliphalet Remington founded E. Remington and Sons in New York. He sought to build a better rifle than what was commercially available. Later that year, he took his newly built flintlock rifle to a shooting match and impressed his competitors with his new creation. Before leaving the competition, Remington was flooded with orders for rifles.

In 1928, Remington moved his operation to a larger plant in Ilion that the company still operates today. Since then, Remington has developed firearms and ammunition for both military and civilian applications. On November 8, 2021, the recently revived Remington Arms announced the move of its global headquarters from Ilion to LaGrange, Georgia, outside of Atlanta. The company also announced the opening of a new manufacturing facility alongside the headquarters in Georgia.

Remington's move comes in the wake of both bankruptcies and unfavorable legislation in its historical home state. "We are very excited to come to Georgia, a state that not only welcomes business but enthusiastically supports and welcomes companies in the firearms industry," said Remington CEO Ken D'Arcy in a press release. "Everyone involved in this process has shown how important business is to the state and how welcoming they are to all business, including the firearms industry."

Following the companies revival, Remington brought back over 200 workers at its Ilion facility who had been laid off. The local government also offered the company 10 years of tax breaks in exchange for the restart and upgrades to keep Remington in New York. However, the local government in LaGrange offered Remington property tax abatements as well as utility and infrastructure improvements. "Georgia’s firearms industry is responsible for thousands of jobs and millions of dollars of investment in our communities," said Georgia Governor Brian Kemp. "I am a proud owner of some of Remington’s first-class product, and now, I am excited to welcome them to their new home in the Peach State." Georgia is also the home of Glock USA.

In 2013, Remington won the US Army and USSOCOM Precision Sniper Rifle competition with its Modular Sniper Rifle. However, in 2018, SOCOM announced that the MSR did not conform to its requirements at the time and the program was re-competed. The next year, Barrett's MRAD was selected as the new winner. Included in its move to Georgia is Remington's Research & Development Center. As the company re-establishes itself, both the military and civilian market can expect new products to emerge from Remington's Georgia facilities.