American Tactical Imports will open headquarters in Summerville this month
With a strong hunting heritage, South Carolina has a long history as a firearms-friendly state, and that is proving to be very attractive to firearms-related companies, with a second announcing a big move to the Palmetto State last week.
American Tactical Imports, one of the industry’s top importers of firearms and firearm-related accessories, announced that it was relocating its headquarters from Rochester, N.Y., to Summerville, S.C. – creating more than 100 new jobs – beginning this month.
ATI’s announcement was the third this year by companies planning to relocate to South Carolina or greatly expand operations already in the state.
PTR Industries which announced in June that it would move its rifle manufacturing operations and corporate headquarters from Connecticut to a new 58,000-square-foot facility in Horry County, and the Ithaca Gun Company announced last month that it is expanding its gun-making operations into a new facility next to PTR to begin producing a new over/under shotgun and its historic single-barrel trap shotgun next year.
ATI, which is investing more than $2.7 million into the new facilities, is setting up a distribution center and limited firearms assembly operation near Summerville. The company is also moving its customer-service operations and sales operations to Summerville.
ATI’s product line lists a variety of handguns, shotguns and rifles, including its signature German Sports Guns (GSG) family of products and its own line of ATI AR-15 complete rifles and components, plus other gun-related gear.
Earlier this year, the New York legislature passed the Safe Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement Act of 2013, which severely restricts the rights of gun owners and gun businesses and designates serious felony charges for some violations.
“This move to South Carolina will help ensure a solid foundation for our company,” said Tony DiChario, President and Founder of American Tactical Imports. “The relocation process will be smooth, and we have ensured that the process will not affect customer service, product distribution or any other segment of our business. The people of South Carolina have welcomed ATI with open arms, and we are excited about making our new corporate home there.”
In a press release, the company said the reason for moving to South Carolina was two-fold.
“ATI believes it is imperative that a firearms importer and manufacturer do business within a state that is friendly to the Second Amendment rights of the people. It is also important that ATI be close to the port-of-entry into the country for several of their imported products. The relocation to South Carolina ensures that both of these factors are met.”
A leading proponent of gun rights in South Carolina said the message for firearm-related companies is clear: South Carolina will welcome them with open arms.
“These manufacturers are coming here clearly because they recognize that South Carolina appreciates and respects them, their employees and their products, and values them as members of their community,” said Herb Lanford of Columbia, a member of the National Rifle Association’s Board of Directors.
“It is a very positive thing for South Carolina to bring in strong companies to produce legal products that are in great demand. I expect those that are here are just the first wave of what I believe and hope will be a continuing influx of great companies into South Carolina.”
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