GARDNER -- The Remington Arms Company announced Monday morning it is closing its H&R 1871 rifle plant in Gardner, leaving at least 200 people out of work, according to a statement released by the company. "This is devastating," Gardner Mayor Mark Hawke said. Hawke learned of the closure through an e-mail the company sent Monday. Hawke then called company representatives at H&R, who told him there could actually be as many as 300 people out of work because of the closure. Al Russo, the marketing director for Remington, disputes that, saying the plant employs around 200 people and cannot lay off more than that. "There's just a tad over 200 people there," Russo said. H&R 1871 makes rifles and shotguns and was purchased by Marlin Firearms in 2000, which is now owned by Remington. Russo said the company will still manufacture and sell H&R fire arms, but the manufacturing will be done at another one of the company's facilities. "This was a business decision," he said. The news comes as a surprise to Hawke because company officials never talked about any problems with city officials. "This was the first time we heard it," Hawke said. "They never spoke to anyone about this." Hawke said most of the employees found out during a meeting at the plant Monday morning. The layoffs will start in June on the manufacturing side, while the rest of the employees will be let go in September, when the whole operation closes, Hawke said.
Russo said the company will close the plant completely by the end of the year. He would not confirm when the layoffs will start. The closure comes as part of a consolidation plan within the company, according to the statement. "While it was a difficult decision to close Gardner, we believe that this consolidation will enhance our ability to more efficiently provide quality products at competitive prices in an increasingly demanding global marketplace." said Tommy Millner, Remington's Chief Executive Officer in the statement. Hawke is determined to fight to keep the plant open, he said. He called Remington after getting the e-mail and offered to find ways to keep the jobs in Gardner. "I said, 'We can do something and save these jobs,'" Hawke said. Hawke said the company is closing the plant, in part, because it wants to expand the operations and does not want to do that in Gardner. Hawke wants to work with the company and the state to keep the jobs in Gardner. "There are resources the state can bring to bear, the city can bring to bear, to expand the plant and save these jobs," Hawke said. Remington officials said some of the Gardner employees will be transferred to other positions, though they did not say how many will be given other work. Russo said it is not clear no how many people will stay within the company. "I don't have any firm numbers on that, it depends on the job they did," Russo said. The other employees will be offered severance, outplacement and referral services, according to the statement. Remington Arms Company, Inc., is headquartered in Madison, N. C., and owns Marlin, H&R 1871, LLC, New England Firearms, LC Smith and Parker fire arms brands, according to the statement.
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