Smith & Wesson officially broke ground on its new East Tennessee home located in Partnership Park North in Maryville.
Joined by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bob Rolfe and local elected officials, Smith & Wesson President/CEO Mark Smith announced that the 240-acre campus, located in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains in East Tennessee, is the new home for the U.S.-based leader in firearms manufacturing and design. Smith & Wesson is locating its headquarters and other major operations on the site.
“I have no doubt whatsoever that our culture and our company will continue to thrive here,” said Smith. “Not just because our culture will be welcomed, but because it will be strengthened by being here.”
“Great American companies like Smith & Wesson, who had the option to relocate anywhere in the nation, chose the best state in America and that’s Tennessee,” said Lee.
Founded in 1852, Smith & Wesson is one of the world’s leading manufacturers and designers of firearms. They manufacture a wide array of handguns (including revolvers and pistols), long guns (including modern sporting rifles, bolt action rifles, and shotguns), handcuffs, suppressors, and other firearm-related products for sale to a wide variety of customers, including firearm enthusiasts, collectors, hunters, sportsmen, competitive shooters, individuals desiring home and personal protection, law enforcement and security agencies and officers, and military agencies in the United States and throughout the world.
Smith & Wesson joins more than 20 small arms and ammunition manufacturers located in Tennessee. Tennessee ranks No. 1 in the nation for employment in the small arms and ammunition sector, with employment increasing by 54% over the last five years.