Rural Georgia is getting in on the Economic Development game. Yesterday, Taurus USA, a manufacturer of firearms, announced it was going to locate a $22.5 Million dollar manufacturing facility in Bainbridge, in deep Southwest Georgia. While the pursuit of Amazon has some thinking Georgia’s Economic Development efforts are focused only on one company or just in the Atlanta region, the Taurus USA announcement is a reminder that efforts focus on the entire state, and that Georgia means business. All of Georgia.
The official press release from the Governor’s office follows:
April 12, 2018
Gov. Nathan Deal today announced that Taurus USA, a leading firearms manufacturer, will create 300 jobs and invest more than $22.5 million in infrastructure and operations to establish a firearms manufacturing plant in Bainbridge.
“Georgia’s strong manufacturing sector and business-friendly climate continue to attract industry-leading manufacturers like Taurus USA to our state,” said Deal. “With this investment, Taurus USA is highlighting some of the economic development assets available in the Bainbridge area, while also creating meaningful employment opportunities for the community. We welcome Taurus USA to Georgia, and we look forward to seeing how our highly skilled workforce will help the company grow and maintain its competitive edge.”
Taurus USA will build a new 200,000-square-foot facility in Decatur County with 180,000 square feet of space for manufacturing and 20,000 square feet of administrative space. New jobs will include skilled labor positions, administrative personnel, customer service representatives and management teams. Construction will begin in September 2018.
“The decision to move to Bainbridge, Georgia, is part of a long-term growth strategy,” said David Blenker, president and CEO of Taurus USA. “The ability to expand operations is critical for our U.S. business. This new facility will meet our demanding needs to increase production with the skilled workforce Georgia has to offer. We look forward to breaking ground in September 2018 to start the project.”
Taurus USA, through its subsidiaries, manufactures and distributes the popular Taurus®, Rossi®, and Heritage™ Manufacturing product lines.
“We are very proud that Taurus USA has selected our community,” said Rick McCaskill, executive director of the Development Authority of Bainbridge and Decatur County. “This has been a team effort and we stand as a team ready to make the construction and staffing of their facility smooth and seamless.”
Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) Project Manager Tony Greene represented the Global Commerce Division in collaboration with Georgia Power, Georgia Quick Start and the Development Authority of Bainbridge and Decatur County.
“Taurus USA’s decision to locate to Bainbridge is not only a win for the community, but for the region,” said GDEcD Commissioner Pat Wilson. “Georgia has a long history in the manufacturing industry sector, and we are excited to add Taurus to the long list of manufacturers that are based here. I am confident that our thriving pro-business environment and unmatched logistics network along with the abundance of resources available in Bainbridge, including a skilled workforce, will allow Taurus to succeed in Georgia.”
About Taurus USA
Taurus Holdings, Inc. (“Taurus USA”) and its subsidiaries continue to evolve and produce revolutionary new products. In addition, new standards for quality and efficiency help to deliver reliable and affordable firearms to the market. Taurus USA is based in Miami and is owned by Forjas Taurus, S.A., a publicly traded company based in Brazil. Forjas Taurus manufactures a wide variety of consumer and industrial products for worldwide distribution.
For more information, visit www.taurususa.com.