Remington, America's oldest gun manufacturer, has officially closed its plant in the Village of Ilion in New York after more than 200 years in the state.
Employees at Remington's 200-year-old gun factory in Ilion finished their last day on Monday. For centuries, they have turned out hunting rifles, shotguns, carbines, and other weapons at the Remington plant in Ilion.
"Ilion is Remington. Remington is Ilion," Illion Mayor John Stephens told Fox News Digital in a Zoom interview ahead of the plant's closure. "It doesn't matter if you're manufacturing firearms here anymore or not. You can't erase history. Ilion will always be known as the home of Remington Arms."
Remington's exit will eliminate 300 jobs in the blue-collar town. Remington owners blamed their decision on "production inefficiencies" in a letter to union officials, noting the high cost of caring for 92,903 square meters of space. It also added that it is concerned about the "legislative environment" in New York, particularly the gun control measures championed by Democrats in the New York City area, per VOA News.
Will Remington Close for Good?
While Remington closed its operations in Ilion, the company will move to Georgia, specifically to the city of LaGrange, and will expand operations there.
Remington announced its plans to move to Georgia in 2021, promising that it will invest $100 million in the state over a five-year period. The company also said it expects to create over 800 jobs in the Peach 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," Ken D'Arcy, the RemArms CEO, said, as quoted by Fox 5 Atlanta. "Between the support we've received from the state and from Scott Malone and Kelley Bush of the City of LaGrange Economic Development Authority, we cannot wait to expand our company in Georgia."
Remington has been hit by financial woes in recent years. The company filed for bankruptcy in 2018 and 2020. In 2022, the company paid $73 million as part of a 2015 lawsuit stemming from the Sandy Hook mass shooting in 2012 that led to the death of 20 first-graders and six adults. A Bushmaster AR-15-style rifle was used in the massacre.
