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Remington Firearms is moving its global headquarters to LaGrange.

Gov. Brian Kemp announced Monday via a press release that Remington (RemArms) is locating its headquarters and a new advanced manufacturing operation, as well as a research and development center, to LaGrange. The company says these projects will invest $100 million and create 856 jobs over a five-year period in Troup County. The company will be leasing a building within Callaway South Industrial Park until it decides where it would like to build its corporate campus.

The company will be hiring for positions in production, operations, engineering, and management, as well as careers in HR, finance, and administration in Remington’s onsite executive offices. For more information, please visit www.remarms.com.

“Georgia’s firearms industry is responsible for thousands of jobs and millions of dollars of investment in our communities,” Kemp said. “I am a proud owner of some of Remington’s first-class product, and now, I am excited to welcome them to their new home in the Peach State. As yet another big manufacturing win for our state, I look forward to seeing the oldest firearms manufacturer in America thrive in Georgia’s pro-business environment.”

“We are very excited to come to Georgia, a state that not only welcomes business but enthusiastically supports and welcomes companies in the firearms industry,” Ken D’Arcy, RemArms CEO, said. “Between the support we’ve received from the state and from Scott Malone and Kelley Bush of the City of LaGrange Economic Development Authority, we cannot wait to expand our company in Georgia. Everyone involved in this process has shown how important business is to the state and how welcoming they are to all business, including the firearms industry.”

This sentiment was shared by Mayor Jim Thornton as he said that the company made it clear that they wanted the southeast to be their home as they started scouting potential spots.

“They wanted to move it to the southeast because they perceive it to be a more business-friendly environment in the South, as well as an environment that is more open to guns and gun manufacturing… I think those were important. Those were important issues for them,” Thornton said.

Scott Malone, the president of the Development Authority of LaGrange and lead on the project, said the companies he works with usually have three requirements when scouting out new places.

“There’s three things that every project looks for when they’re coming to a community. And the first is workforce, above and beyond everything else and infrastructure. And then third is quality of life,” Malone said.

Thornton said that LaGrange is unique in that it has been a predominately manufacturing-based town and that RemArms may help bring additional people into the town.

“We have a lot of experienced people in LaGrange when it comes to manufacturing, and our community has always been a manufacturing community,” Thornton said. “So there are people in our community who have experience with manufacturing and in the neighboring community that may be attracted to Remington because of the type of manufacturing and type of jobs that they’re going to be bringing.”

Founded in 1816, Remington Firearms is one of the United States’ largest domestic producers of shotguns and rifles. Several of the company’s strategic products will be manufactured in Georgia. The new headquarters will also become home to an innovative research and development center.

“I am thrilled to welcome Remington Firearms to the growing list of manufacturers who call LaGrange home,” Thornton said. “The Remington name has long been associated with great products, and I know they will continue that tradition and be very successful here. I applaud the partnership with Governor Kemp and the economic development teams at the state and at the city that help attract great companies to our community.”

The Georgia Department of Economic Development was represented in this competitive project by Senior Project Manager Taylor Kielty in partnership with the LaGrange Economic Development Authority, Georgia Power, and Georgia Quick Start.

“This makes it all the more exciting for us to see Remington Firearms locate their global headquarters and advanced manufacturing operations to Georgia where they will join a strong community of great companies who call this state home,” Pat Wilson, GDEcD Commissioner, said. “Many thanks to our economic development partners in Troup County for helping the state win this project, which will undoubtedly have a sizeable economic impact on LaGrange and surrounding communities.”

Patrick Crews, Troup County Commission Chairman,  said he already anticipates that the city of LaGrange will be proactive in addressing issues as they arise due to the impact of not just Remington but the continued economic growth of the town.

“I think there’ll be an all out effort to try to address the housing issue for the community. Not only with Remington but we know that Kia Hyundai Transport was looking at 600 or so jobs down there that’ll come online within the next year,” Crews said.