laststandonzombieisland

Smith & Wesson, moving its headquarters from anti-gun Massachusetts, made it official over the weekend that The Volunteer State is its new home. 

The company first announced the $120 million move to Tennessee from its long-time home in Springfield, Massachusetts in September 2021, and broke ground for its new 650,000 sq. ft. facility just two months later. On Saturday, the company held its grand opening celebration and cut the ribbon on the new plant. 

Funded from cash on hand by the publicly traded company (and not by loans or state bonds), the new facility shifts employees from its former flagship location in Springfield, Massachusetts; its plastic injection molding facility in Deep River, Connecticut; and its distribution plant in Columbia, Missouri, with the last two locations closing to streamline operations. Tennessee will house the company’s headquarters, distribution facility, and assembly facility as well as a company museum and retail space.

I was there and got the tour. In addition to a planned 22 assembly lines, the campus includes a full-service employee gym, cafeteria, medical facilities, and a 23,000 sq. ft. indoor shooting range that is serviced by robots.

Yup. Robots.

Still, Smith is looking to employ over 600 at the plant.