Menu Close

American Marksman Expands with New Facility in Missouri

  • November 23, 2016

Today, the Missouri Department of Economic Development (DED) announced that American Marksman, LLC, a distributor of bullets of varying calibers, is expanding in Independence, MO, in the Kansas City region, creating 65 new advanced manufacturing positions, with significant growth expected in the coming years.

“Missouri’s advanced manufacturing and defense sectors are continuing to grow and add jobs to our economy,” said Mike Downing, director of DED. “American Marksman’s decision to expand in Independence is a testament to Missouri’s strengths in these key sectors, including trained and available talent, and our strategic location for manufacturing companies as they distribute their products across North America.”

American Marksman will work with Orbital ATK to address U.S. Department of Defense critical needs and to provide Homeland Security support via the new American Marksman operations in Independence. The company will work out of Orbital ATK’s Independence facility, where it plans to enter into a long-term lease and occupy a larger footprint in the future.

“We, at American Marksman, are proud and honored to become a part of the military support structure at Lake City. We would also like to thank the Governor, his staff, the Department of Economic Development and the City of Independence for all their hard work and support of this project. We look forward to working in the “Show me State” and continuing to grow our business operations within the state,” said American Marksman’s CEO Thomas Schmidt.  

They will focus on U.S. Military ammunition pull-down, including packing & shipping, expanding into specialty recycling, manufacturing/remanufacturing, advanced research and development technology systems, and green technology ammunition projectiles.

“The City Council, City Staff and EDC are focused on attracting capital investment and new jobs to Independence, and American Marksman locating at Lake City and partnering with Orbital ATK is a huge contributor to those efforts,” said Independence Mayor Eileen Weir.  “Independence has had a strategic approach to utilizing the unique assets of Lake City for businesses like American Marksman that have very specific needs.  We welcome the employees and their families to our community.”

“As manufacturing makes a continual comeback in the United States, we’re honored to be chosen as the site for American Marksman’s newest facility,” said Tim Cowden, president and CEO of the Kansas City Area Development Council. “The Kansas City region is an ideal location for supply chain operations from manufacturing through warehousing and distribution and we welcome this latest addition to our regional economy.”

To assist with American Marksman’s expansion, DED offered a strategic incentive package that the company can receive if it meets strict job creation criteria. The Independence Council for Economic Development worked with the Kansas City Area Development Council, KC SmartPort and Missouri Partnership, the statewide business attraction organization, to help American Marksman evaluate Missouri and access programs designed to attract new jobs and investment to the state.

“It was a great pleasure to work with American Marksman as they create 65 new jobs in Independence,” said Steve Johnson, CEO of Missouri Partnership. “Missouri’s highly skilled labor and low business costs were key factors in American Marksman continuing to grow their business in Missouri.”