Seward Joins Remington Arms For Expansion Announcement

ILION, 05/11/10 — Freedom Group’s COO, Joseph B. Gross, today announced that the Remington Arms facility in Ilion, New York, will add 100 manufacturing jobs as it relocates certain production from its Marlin factory in North Haven Connecticut. The 194-year-old Ilion Firearms Plant, which is the Mohawk Valley’s largest employer and the nation’s longest continuous manufacturer, will receive $5.9 million in building improvements, equipment and machinery investment over the next two
years. The project will be supported with $1.5 million in grants from the Empire State Development Corporation, $200,000 in 2010 electricity cost subsidies, and the New York State Office of Community Renewal has earmarked a $750,000 New York State Community Development Block Grant for the project.

Mr. Gross said, “in order to continue to be competitive globally, FGI has made the decision to move its Marlin lever-action production from North Haven Connecticut to Ilion. Ilion became the clear choice due to the experience of the workforce combined with the incentives offered by the State and Herkimer County. We wish to thank Governor Paterson, Senator Seward, Assemblyman Butler, Chairman Dennis
Mullen (ESD), NYS Office of Community Renewal and Regional Director Ken Tompkins (ESD) and Executive Director Mark Feane (Herkimer County IDA), for their continued support for the Ilion facility.”

Senator James L. Seward (RIC/I-Oneonta) commented, “Remington Arms has been an exceptional community leader and economic development partner in the Mohawk Valley for generations. Today’s announcement follows a long-standing commitment to create jobs and make the area a better place to live and raise a family. At a time when our economy is starting to rebound, I am hopeful that others will follow Remington’s lead and look to upstate New York for their expansion.”

“We are pleased Remington has chosen to grow its manufacturing base in the Mohawk Valley,” said Empire State Development Chairman & CEO Dennis Mullen. “The addition of 100 new jobs to this facility will bring Remington’s Ilion plant employment numbers to the highest they’ve been in years. As we work with our state and local partners towards rebuilding New York, this is exactly the type of investment that will help sustain our local economy and get us on the road to fiscal recovery.”

Herkimer County Industrial Development Agency Executive Director Mark Feane said: “We are extremely happy to hear that Remington Arms, working closely with Senator Seward, Empire State Development, the Office of Community Renewal and Herkimer County, will be bringing additional jobs to upstate New York. It is very encouraging that during difficult economic times, Remington Arms once again decides to add manufacturing positions at their Ilion facility. I believe that this adds credence to the
fact that upstate New York has an exceptional workforce and continues to offer growth opportunities to national icons like Remington Arms. This truly is a successful public/private partnership.”

Founded in 1816, Remington is one of the nation’s oldest continuously operating manufacturers of shotguns and rifles. The company operates multiple manufacturing facilities within the United States. Remington last transferred production into the Ilion facility in 2008, at which time it commifted to maintaining 600 of the 715 positions then located there and adding 100 jobs to it. Both these commitments were far exceeded within six months.