When New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed the SAFE Act in January—what he referred to as “common sense” gun-control legislation—the law not only turned many law-abiding citizens into criminals, it also drove businesses and jobs out of the state.
With a move to South Carolina, American Tactical Imports has become the third firearm company to relocate its operations from New York to more gun-friendly states. According to Guns.com:
ATI is largely an importer and distributor of domestic firearms, although they do some manufacturing. They plan to move from Rochester to Summerville, a city on the outskirts of Charleston, starting next month.
They are bringing 117 jobs to Dorchester County between their headquarters, assembly, customer service and sales teams. The company said it will be investing $2.7 million in jobs and facilities.
While the company’s primary decision to relocate is to operate in a state with strong support of the Second Amendment, the move offers some logistical benefits to ATI as well. As an importer this brings the company closer to the shipping lanes it relies on for product deliveries. The Charleston area is home to some of the largest and busiest ports on the Atlantic seaboard.
“[The] announcement is another testament that South Carolina is a destination for job-creating investments,” Gov. Nikki Haley said.
