by After 217 years, Remington is leaving Ilion, New York. RemArms LLC, the post-bankruptcy successor to Remington Arms, announced yesterday that they will be closing down the plant in Ilion and moving all operations to their new location in LaGrange, Georgia. The Ilion plant will close in March 2024.
From the Utica Observer-Dispatch:
“I am writing to inform you that RemArms, LLC (“the Company”) has decided to close its entire operations at 14 Hoefler Avenue, Ilion, NY 13357 (the “Ilion Facility”),” begins the letter ending two centuries of history. “The Company expects that operations at the Ilion Facility will conclude on or about March 4, 2024. The Company did not arrive at this decision lightly.”
The layoffs should take place between March 4 and March 18, wrote Brian Wheatley, director of benefits and compensation for the firm in Kernersville, North Carolina, to officials with the United Mine Workers of America.
The 270 workers at the plant are represented by the United Mine Workers of America. After saying the union had worked tirelessly with the company, the workers, and local officials to keep the plant open, they are calling this move a “slap in the face”.
The union contends that:
“The simple fact is that RemArms will never be able to match the experience and dedication of the workers in Central New York, who for generations worked in this plant and kept this company alive.
“We urge RemArms LLC to reconsider this decision and explore alternative solutions that would allow the Ilion plant to remain operational. The extensive cleanup for abandoning this plant could potentially cost the town of Ilion and the state of New York a massive amount of money.
Last November, Georgia officials including Gov. Brian Kemp (R-GA) welcomed the news that Remington was moving their global headquarters to LaGrange as well as building an “advanced manufacturing operation” there. Remington also planned to put a R&D center in LaGrange as well.
Village of Ilion Mayor John Stephens told the Albany Times-Union that he was not surprised by the news.
Stephens said the pending move became clear over the last few years as more and more models of firearms production were pulled out of Ilion and moved to LaGrange, Georgia.
Currently, he said, the company still makes its popular 700-model hunting rifles and shotguns in Ilion. Previously, the factory also made firearms for police and military use.
Ilion is hoping to find another tenant for the historic Remington plant given the need to warehouse space in the region.
Remington posted a video announcement by CEO Ken D’Arcy of the decision to consolidate in LaGrange. In his announcement, D’Arcy made note that Georgia has been welcoming to the firearms industry. He said keeping the old plant going was becoming cost prohibitive and that legislative environment in New York was a major concern.
I don’t think any observer of the firearms industry is surprised by the news. Perhaps the real surprise was that they actually restarted the Ilion plant after the bankruptcy given its age and the toxic nature of New York politics. Losing a major employer always hurts and it especially hurts in such a small town as Ilion.