ICYMI: Industry News
From March 4–8, 2024
C&H Precision Breaks Ground On New Headquarters
C&H Precision broke ground on its new home in Bryan County, Ga. CEO and Founder Buck Holly and the entire C&H Precision team welcomed hundreds of attendees, several state and local politicians, media members, area business leaders, law enforcement and first responders, business partners and others vital to C&H’s rapid rise to the site of the new headquarters. The facility in the city of Richmond Hill will span 50,000 sq. ft., create up to 60 jobs and become a place for the community to gather.
In plans released earlier, the C&H campus will include state-of-the-art manufacturing, indoor shooting ranges for the public and law enforcement, a retail store with FFL, a sandwich and coffee shop and more. This multi-use facility will not only increase C&H Precision’s manufacturing and design capacity to support its growing business needs, but it will also increase the company’s involvement and contributions to the local community.
“C&H Precision is more than just a brand or a company,” said Holly. “We prioritize community support, engagement and involvement. This is important to me because my family and I arrived here more than six years ago with nothing more than a small business and a dream. This is the area and community that welcomed us and allowed us to grow. This is where the people who joined our workforce and supported our dreams live, raise families and call home. Our employees are our lifeblood and are the reason we stand here today with such exciting and expansive plans.”
The state-of-the-art expansion is designed to foster creativity and productivity. It will include offices and manufacturing facilities for employees to enhance product quality and production efficiency.
Local firm Felder & Associates Architecture was chosen for the early-stage design process. For the civil engineering efforts, Coleman Company Inc. of Savannah, Ga. was selected for the estimated $16M project. West Construction has been chosen to handle the erection of the new headquarters.
For more info: chpws.com
IWA OutdoorClassics Provides International Boost
IWA OutdoorClassics celebrated 50 years this year. Around 40,000 visitors from 120 countries ensured the halls were full, and 1,072 exhibitors were happy to talk business and place orders. It celebrated another milestone this year: Over the last half-century, around 1,000,000 visitors from all over the world have attended IWA OutdoorClassics.
A wide range of new products were presented in a total of nine halls, which will now find their way into the international specialist trade.
“We were able to meet the high expectations for our anniversary edition,” shared Stefanie Leege, event director of IWA OutdoorClassics. “IWA OutdoorClassics continues to be the number-one event for industry and trade on a global level, as confirmed by the repeated significant visitor numbers. We are delighted with the 15% increase in visitor numbers compared to the previous year.”
Over 60% of the trade visitors came to IWA OutdoorClassics 2024 from abroad. The German specialist trade was also numerously represented at IWA OutdoorClassics. Ninety percent of all visitors are decision-makers and have an influence on purchasing in their company.
“A word is a word, a handshake is a handshake. IWA OutdoorClassics is a center of exchange and vision,” said Dirk Prehn, managing director RWS GmbH. “For RWS, the most important thing is to meet the international dealers and distributors and talk to them face to face, and you can only do that at this show.”
IWA OutdoorClassics 2025 will take place Feb. 27–March 3 at the Exhibition Center Nuremberg.
For more info: iwa.info/en
GunBroker.com Celebrates 25th Anniversary
GunBroker.com is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. What began as an auction-based platform has evolved to offer buy-it-now pricing, Take a Shot offers, a “Buy Now” button on manufacturer websites and self-service seller advertising. Buyer and Brand Stores, coupon and rebate centers and an editorial department have followed.
The site will soon launch multi-item cart capability along with other new functionalities designed to make the site easier for buyers and more efficient for sellers.
“We’re celebrating the past 25 years, which have gotten us to this point,” said Jared Smith, chief executive officer. “But we’re also deeply focused on how we improve GunBroker.com over the next few months. Over the next few weeks, you’ll see these updates rolling out and we believe these will continue to make GunBroker.com the premiere marketplace for all things outdoors.”
Launched in 1999 as a response to eBay’s rejection of firearms and firearm-related auctions, GunBroker.com has led the way in listing capabilities, breadth of products and cutting-edge cyber-security.
Sellers have come to rely on GunBroker.com to help connect them with a nationwide pool of FFL holders, ensuring a safe, secure network to handle firearms transfers across state lines. This web of dealers helps facilitate firearms transfers compliant with all federal, state and municipal regulations.
GunBroker.com allows small, independent shops to reach a nationwide audience of consumers and helps buyers across the U.S. access the newest products the second they are available. For collectors, GunBroker.com offers the most hard-to-find firearms and accessories, with future plans designed to make it an even more valuable tool.
In late 2023, GunBroker.com marked its one-billionth listing, with more than 36 million items listed since
“We celebrated the anniversary at SHOT Show, but we’re not really big on looking to the past,” Smith said. “To remain the leader in this space, we’ve got to keep Iooking ahead, innovating and improving the site on a constant basis. The next 12 months is going to be evolutionary for certain, and revolutionary in many ways.”
For more info: gunbroker.com
Davidson’s Celebrates Smith & Wesson With Promo Week & Live Broadcast
Davidson’s is dedicating March 11 through March 16, 2024 as a celebration of all things Smith & Wesson.
During the week, Davidson’s will be offering its FFL dealer network special sale pricing not typically available on well over 100 SKUs.
The week will kick off with a special broadcast of Davidson’s LIVE. The show will focus not only on the promotions available but also go deep into several new firearms from Smith & Wesson as well as a very special new Davidson’s Exclusive.
Viewers will get to see a couple of these new guns in action as they are put through their paces at Gunsite Academy in Arizona. Special allocations and prize giveaways will round out the show.
FFL dealers who hold accounts with Davidson’s will receive a private invitation to the broadcast via email.
For more info: davidsonsinc.com
SAAMI Welcomes Bristol Ridge Precision & PCB Piezotronics
The Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute Inc. (SAAMI) welcomed two new member companies: Bristol Ridge Precision LLC, and PCB Piezotronics Inc.
Bristol Ridge Precision joined as a Supporting Member and is a manufacturer of ammunition headquartered in Warrensburg, Mo. PCB Piezotronics joined as an Affiliate Member and is a manufacturer of pressure measurement devices for the industry headquartered in Depew, NY.
“We are very pleased to have Bristol Ridge Precision and PCB Piezotronics join the SAAMI family,” said Joe Bartozzi, SAAMI president and CEO. “They are joining a long list of leading organizations that are at the forefront of promoting firearm safety by the creation of standards that ensure the safety, reliability and interchangeability of firearms and ammunition.”
As new Supporting and Affiliate members, respectively, Bristol Ridge Precision and PCB Piezotronics will have full access to SAAMI firearms and ammunition technical standards, as well as SAAMI’s reference ammunition program assessments. This status also lets their customers know they support the work SAAMI does for the entirety of the industry and the safety of participants of the shooting sports.
For more info: saami.org
