Bringing firearms business to Ohio

by Jim Irvine

Since the killings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, states like New York, Colorado and Connecticut have passed drastic anti-freedom laws aimed at restricting the rights of law-abiding citizens. None of those restrictions would stop a killer in a movie theater or inside a school from walking into the next room of innocent victims.

Because firearms were a large part of our nation's birth, many firearms-related businesses have their roots in the formally friendly environment of our first states. Times, they are a changin'.

While other states are driving businesses away, Ohio is working to bring those same businesses here. Representative Ron Maag (R) and Governor John Kasich are being proactive in reaching out to firearms-related companies and show them why a move to Ohio makes sense.

Following is a press release that was issued recently by Rep. Ron Maag:

Rep. Maag Works to Encourage Gun Manufacturing in Ohio

Representative Ron Maag (R-Lebanon) is working with the office of Ohio Governor John Kasich to encourage gun manufacturing companies to explore opportunities in Ohio.

With several states across the US tightening their gun laws in recent months, notably Connecticut, arms companies will be tempted to look for alternative locations. Ohio is ideal for relocation, particularly Warren County.

"Warren County is dissected by two major interstate highways [I-75 and I-71] and is also near the Ohio River," said Representative Maag. "There is land available and open warehouses capable of accommodating these large manufacturing companies."

Perhaps most importantly, Ohio is a gun friendly state. Companies may distribute their products without fighting government restrictions. With the help of Governor Kasich, Representative Maag is hoping to advertise these opportunities to out-of-state companies thereby promoting job growth in Ohio.

Ohio does manufacturing, and we do it well. We are also the best state in the union from a distribution standpoint. We have raw materials. We have a business-friendly environment. We host the National (shooting) Matches at Camp Perry. Lots of states can compete in several areas, but no other state offers the total package that Ohio does.

Twenty-five years ago, Honda became the first Japanese car company to open a U.S. auto plant. They chose Marysville, Ohio for their manufacturing needs. The success of that plant has helped change the ways automobiles are manufactured and distributed on a worldwide scale. Honda now predicts that in two years, they will export more cars from the U.S. than they import from Japan. Ohio is at the center of that change, and is now poised to be a pivotal player in the reshaping of the firearms industries.

Whether looking at U.S. manufacturers like Smith & Wesson and Colt, or foreign companies like Beretta and Glock, or accessory-related industries like magazines, sights and scopes, Ohio is willing to work with the firearms industry to change the world just as dramatically as the partnership between Ohio and Honda have changed the auto industry.

To make this transformation will require more than just good location and logistics. It will require good leadership. We are pleased to see Governor Kasich and Representative Maag working together. With their leadership, Ohio could become "The Heart of It All" to the world's firearms industry.

Jim Irvine is the Buckeye Firearms Association Chairman, and recipient of the NRA-ILA's 2011 "Jay M. Littlefield Volunteer of the Year Award" and the CCRKBA's 2012 "Gun Rights Defender of the Year Award."