Beretta doesn’t bluff: Moving production to Tennesseee

Beretta told Maryland’s state legislature that passage of anti-gun bills early last year would force the company to re-think their plans for growth and expansion in Governor Martin O’Malley’s state.  “Berettas don’t bluff,” the Old Line State lawmakers were told.

The legislature passed a whole new raft of gun restrictions anyway.

Well, not only did Beretta cancel plans for growth and expansion in anti-gun Maryland, they announced their intention to move the whole kit and caboodle to Tennessee later this year.

(The Tennesseean) – Beretta, one of the world’s leading gun manufacturers, will be moving manufacturing operations to Gallatin, bringing more than 300 jobs to the region.

The company will invest upwards of $45 million to bring a manufacturing and research and development facility to Middle Tennessee, Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam announced Wednesday morning.

The company is expected to complete construction on the facility this year and will make firearms at the new Gallatin plant for both their sporting and tactical product lines.

While Gallatin has added 350 jobs in the past year through expansion of existing employers, such as The Gap and ABC Fuels Group, this represents a major new corporate player in Gallatin, officials said.

Beretta’s move follows Magpul’s decision to bail on Colorado, taking their manufacturing jobs to Wyoming and their corporate headquarters to Texas.

A number of smaller companies have made similar moves since early 2013.

Illinois legislators would be wise to consider the implications of passing further strict gun controls, including gun and magazine bans, lest precious, good-paying jobs flee the Prairie State for greener pastures and prairies.