Smith & Wesson Moving From Springfield To Tennessee, Citing Proposed Massachusetts Gun Laws

[Dial H For Hero]

https://boston.cbslocal.com/2021/09/30/smith-and-wesson-massachusetts-tennessee/

BOSTON (CBS) – Smith & Wesson, one of the oldest gun manufacturers in the country, announced Thursday it is moving operations from Springfield to Tennessee due to proposed gun laws in Massachusetts.

The company plans to move to Maryville, Tenn. In 2023 after being based in Springfield since it was founded in 1852.

“This has been an extremely difficult and emotional decision for us, but after an exhaustive and thorough analysis, for the continued health and strength of our iconic company, we feel that we have been left with no other alternative,” President and CEO Mark Smith said.

Smith said proposed legislation in Massachusetts would prevent the company from making certain kinds of guns.

(excerpt)

Given that S&W gets over 60% of their revenue from such guns, the move makes perfect sense.

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

1. Bob Lee Swagger: "Welcome to Tennessee, patron state of shootin' stuff." n/t

[pwb]

2. I doubt their talent will go with them.

Quite a lifestyle change for them? I wouldn't go.

[krispos42]

5. Ford is building giant new plants in Tennessee

Tennessee is going to suck in a lot of skilled machinists, so I think the talent will be there. Plus, how many of those employees are empty-nesters that will jump at the chance to move someplace cheaper?

Massachusetts just lost a major employer and dozens or hundreds of skilled jobs for absolutely no benefit and substantial loss.

Massachusetts already heavily regulates guns. What S&W legally sells outside of the commonwealth isn't the business of Boston.

But hey, they get to look "woke". Unfortunately, wokeness and smugness won't fill the empty industrial buildings, generate good-paying jobs, or replace lost tax revenues.

At least the homeless and drug users will have a new place to hang out.

[pwb]

6. I don't see it that way.

Mr Smith can take his little shop south because he is cheap and having everything already is not enough for him. He will not be missed and we have lots of really good jobs for his people who stay. Guns built by rookies is not a big selling point. My Grandkids have all my guns now and I miss them Remington and Colt. Fuck Smith.

[Dial H For Hero]

8. Given that MA is preparing to make it illegal for S&W to manufacture the guns responsible for over

60% of their revenue, why in the world would it make sense for them to stay there?

[pwb]

9. It is Tennessee?

One of our lesser states all around. I would stay up north and fined a new job rather than go there. The Governor is a Covid nut. Worst record of Sickness than even many countries. Still Fuck Smith and his greed and what he is doing to his employees who got him where he is.

[Dial H For Hero]

10. What do you think S&W should do, then?

[pwb]

11. What is he offering his people to follow?

What is in it for his workers? This is a move that only benefits Mr Smith removing his families reputation. He is not alone most firearms companies started in the Northeast with the revolutionary war and all. Maybe he could downsize up here and start a second shop down south. Smith could expand just like other companies do. Next he might call his new company Smith and Smith. peace h

[Dial H For Hero]

12. I have no idea, the article doesn't say.

In any case, what's the point of staying in a state that wishes to make most of his products illegal to manufacture? As for expanding, S&W has already increased their lineup of firearms a great deal. What would be the point of setting up plants to manufacture more guns in a state that seems likely to make it illegal to make them in the first place?

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

13. Respectfully, I don't see it your way at all.

The company for sure has a degree of automation and professional engineering integrated into its processes and future plans. Just as the state has legislatively decided to exclude the manufacture of the majority of S&W's products from their jurisdiction, S&W has planned for continued future operation. The officers and executives have a fiduciary responsibility to the stockholders to operate that way.

It really doesn't and shouldn't matter to the operators and those planning the future of SWBI if Mass. or some individuals don't like their products. Clearly, the officers and stockholders believe in the products offered for sale and their opinion differs from that of the state. I have a felling that the majority of SWBI stockholders don't live in Mass. I think it's logical for the company to rely on its patents and established manufacturing processes and supply chain relationships to continue its business. The state legislation has crippled the company from doing that in its current location and it is a judgement call on the part of the executives to find governmentally conducive location where that can happen. I'm certain that the talent and resources for many product lines overlap. Establishing another location in which to manufacture the Mass. illegal products is a needless duplication of those resources.

The handwriting on the wall says that this area doesn't like S&W products. IMO deciding to remain in Springfield would be like deciding to build a cocaine business in the US in 1914. I feel that it is a best practice to engage in your business where it is legal to do so. I also feel that many of the current and contemplated laws regarding so called "assault weapons" are based on faulty ideas and logical reasoning predicts their having no real effect.

I also feel that some legislators in the state are being a disingenuous. While proclamations about potential deaths due to "assault weapons" are easy to find and apparently led to this new law, the state has no particular views on a certain company in the Pittsfield area. Said company makes weapons far more deadly than rifles and pistols.

Disclosure: I don't live in Mass. (I live in NJ) nor I don't work for Smith, but I do work as a contractor in the Boston area for a company that deals with Homeland.

[pwb]

14. So you gave the Company argument

Of fuck their workers. You didn't mention Tennessee or the workers. Respectfully I have been on the receiving end of automatic assault weapons and are not as fond of them as you seem to be.

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

15. I recounted business logic

Exactly where would those workers be after the company idles the lines that now produce the items being rendered illegal? They would be laid off. Perhaps if the company had the financial strength and prospective business to open a second location and maybe offer the same workers that they could offer in their current plans options to relocate, that would be optimal. However, I don't know the company's business nor the pros and cons of the relocation. I am conjecturing.

I also have no particular fondness for ARs and other types of rifles lumped into the made up, invented, advertising copy category "assault weapons." I like rifles in general more than I like handguns. Handguns are used about 30 times more often to murder than are long guns.

I don't think it is preferable to be shot with M1911, a Chiappa Rhino, Colt SAA or Armatix iP1 rather than an AR. I'm sorry for your trauma regardless of the weapon involved.

Have nice evening.

[DashOneBravo]

7. A lot of them came

When Winchester/ Olin moved to Oxford, MS

After about a year, all those guys were loving it there.

[underpants]

3. Eastern Tennessee

Near Knoxville.

[rickyhall]

4. Ahh, poor babies.