In this promotional image made available by SCCY, a woman draws one of the company's handguns from a purse. For the second time in the past year, a gun manufacturer has announced plans to begin making firearms in Tennessee.
SSCY Industries LLC, which specializes in making pistols and sidearms in Daytona Beach, Fla, said today it plans to construct a 150,00-square-foot facility in Maryville that will create more than 350 jobs when it is in full operation next year. The $22.5 million plant will become the primary manufacturing facility for SCCY.
"SCCY Industries has been searching for a new home for many years due to our explosive growth in the shooting sports industry," Joe Roebuck, SCCY founder and CEO, said. "We exhaustively searched many states. After doing so, I found Tennessee to be one of the top manufacturing states and, in my opinion, No. 1 in the East. I have owned and operated several manufacturing companies during my career as a product developer and businessman. Success all comes down to people, and Tennessee seems to boast good old-fashioned American work ethic.
The announcement of SCCY coming to Tennessee comes a year after Italian gun maker Beretta relocated its U.S. factory from Accookeek, Maryland to Gallatin, Tenn., where the company built a 160,000-square-foot factory. Beretta hopes to grow its $45 million manufacturing facility in Middle Tennessee to eventually employ 300 workers.
In this promotional image made available by SCCY, a man carries a backpack and a concealable handgun from SCCY. Governor Bill Haslam, who has previously praised "Tennessee's great pride in the Second Amendment," said today the state also known for manufacturing excellence.
"Our skilled workforce is known for producing some of the world's best-known products and brands," he said. "I'm pleased that SCCY has chosen to join the growing roster of manufacturing companies calling Tennessee home."
SCCY is expected to receive state, local and TVA incentives for its new Maryville factory, although details of any tax breaks and incentives were not immediately available.