By JEFFERY SMITH
Leader staff writer
The Jacksonville City Council approved an ordinance to rename Commerce Drive to Sig Sauer Drive during its meeting on Thursday.
The road is located off General Samuels Road and Swift Drive.
Sig Sauer is remodeling a 50,000-square-foot building on 10 acres of land along Swift and Commerce Drives into an ammunition plant that it is moving from Kentucky and will employ about 75 workers to start.
Sig Sauer officials have said that the company plans to invest several million dollars in its Arkansas operation.
“We are lucky to get this company to come to our city. Part of what they wanted was the street named Sig Sauer Drive, so everyone knew where they were located. Their address will be 357 Sig Sauer Drive,” City Engineer Jay Whisker said.
Mayor Gary Fletcher likes to call the ammunition plant Phase One and hopes because of the strong relationship developing between the company and the city that Sig Sauer will consider expanding soon after it opens.
“They’ll have plenty of room,” Whisker said.
The mayor said the plant should open sometime in the first quarter of 2017.
Back in April, Dan Powers, the president of the company’s ammunition division, said, “We had been searching for a permanent relocation site for our ammunition division for several years and now, coupled with an excellent physical location and exceptional economic incentives provided by the state of Arkansas, we have found the ideal site.”
“The new location in Jacksonville gives us the room we need to expand as we continue to grow and is also beneficial from a shipping and logistical standpoint,” Powers added.
The Firearms and Ammunition Industry Economic Impact Report 2016, produced by the National Shooting Sports Foundation, counted 2,651 jobs in Arkansas directly attributed to the firearms industry in 2015, with total wages of $115 million.
The city council will hold a special meeting at 7 p.m. Monday to discuss tax liens on several properties around town. Sauer will consider expanding soon after it opens.
“They’ll have plenty of room,” Whisker said.
The mayor said the plant should open sometime in the first quarter of 2017.
Back in April, Dan Powers, the president of the company’s ammunition division, said, “We had been searching for a permanent relocation site for our ammunition division for several years and now, coupled with an excellent physical location and exceptional economic incentives provided by the state of Arkansas, we have found the ideal site.”
“The new location in Jacksonville gives us the room we need to expand as we continue to grow and is also beneficial from a shipping and logistical standpoint,” Powers added.
The Firearms and Ammunition Industry Economic Impact Report 2016, produced by the National Shooting Sports Foundation, counted 2,651 jobs in Arkansas directly attributed to the firearms industry in 2015, with total wages of $115 million.
The city council will hold a special meeting at 7 p.m. Monday to discuss tax liens on several properties around town.
