American firearms manufacturer Kimber Manufacturing, said Tuesday that it’s opening a new manufacturing plant in Troy, Ala., where it expects to employ 366 workers.
The company said it will invest $38 million in the production facility over the next five years.
“Due to an unprecedented year-over-year growth in demand, every time the company has embarked upon a planned expansion, the newly created capacity is exhausted before the expansion is complete,” said James Cox, Kimber’s chief financial officer. “As we continue to move into uncharted waters in regards to Kimber product demand, it was important to us to build a facility that will allow us to secure a significant new plateau of capacity.”
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey says Kimber’s investment in Troy will create a significant number of high-paying design engineering and manufacturing jobs.
“With talented Alabamians already manufacturing a wide range of high-quality products that are in demand around the globe, the state can offer Kimber an ideal business environment and a skilled workforce for its expansion project,” Ivey said. “Kimber’s investment in Troy will create a significant number of high-paying design engineering and manufacturing jobs, and we are committed to helping the company find long-lasting success in Alabama.”
Once a small manufacturing company based in Yonkers, N.Y, Kimber has grown rapidly over the past 21 years. The new manufacturing facility in Troy will be Kimber’s sixth U.S. location.
“We are pleased with the impressive track record that Alabama has with attracting and retaining world-class manufacturing companies,” said Leslie Edelman, Kimber’s president and chief executive officer. “Growing our company intelligently depends significantly on being in the right manufacturing environment, and in Troy, we have a community dedicated to our long-term success. Working with the Alabama Department of Commerce as well as Mayor Jason Reeves and his team has been a pleasurable and rewarding experience.”
Greg Grogan, Kimber’s chief operating officer, said the company will build a large, automated, state-of-the-art design engineering and manufacturing facility in Troy to support Kimber’s strategic growth plans. It should be operational by early 2019.
“We will be building a large, automated, state-of-the-art design engineering and manufacturing facility in Troy to support Kimber’s growth plan and strategy,” said Grogan. “Troy offers us expansion with a passionate workforce, affordable utility costs, a pro-business environment, experienced local training support, and long-term incentives from the State of Alabama and the City of Troy alike. This expansion, in conjunction with our existing manufacturing facilities, talented and experienced employees, and best-in-class products provides for exciting times here at Kimber.”
“This is a dream come true for the City of Troy and for me personally; a firearms manufacturing company with such a stellar brand as Kimber, creating jobs and capital investment for the community,” City of Troy Mayor Jason Reeves added. “Troy has a strong manufacturing base and Kimber will certainly, positively add to that.”
