Dear Gun-Grabbers: Remington Arms Is Opening Its NY Factory To Make Medical Gear To Fight Coronavirus — Are They Still Evil?
The anti-gun crowd is about to learn that gun manufacturers aren’t heartless bastards who love death. It’s going to be a shock for them.
As the country continues to deal with the coronavirus that originated in China and the shortages in medical equipment for those in the medical field and first responders, companies that normally produce other products are stepping in to make up the shortfall.
Remington Arms, America’s oldest gun manufacturer, is opening up its Ilion, NY plant to produce much-needed medical supplies — ventilators, surgical masks, hospital beds, “or any other products mission-critical to the war on coronavirus.”
In a letter addressed to President Trump and New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, the CEO of Remington Arms, Ken D’Arcy, offered up the space in the small town of Ilion for use as the state lockdown of non-essential businesses continues. Using wartime language, D’Arcy said that “Remington stands ready to enlist in wartime production” in this “new kind of war.”
“The Remington plant in Ilion now has approximately one million square feet of unused and available manufacturing space,” said Ken D’Arcy, chief executive officer of Remington Arms in a March 23 letter to Cuomo and President Donald Trump.
“We would be honored to donate our facility to the production of ventilators, surgical masks, hospital beds or any other products mission-critical to the war on coronavirus.”
D’Arcy noted in the letter that “ventilators are essential to winning this new kind of war and Remington stands ready to enlist in wartime production.”
This is welcome news as China has been hoarding the facemasks that it produces. Germany and South Korea are adding to the shortage as they ban the export of masks.
There is also a shortage of ventilators in New York state as Gov. Cuomo had mentioned during a Tuesday press briefing. The state estimates that it will need 30,000 ventilators to treat the surge in patients expected to test positive and seek medical intervention, but the Governor said that it only has 7,000 available.
It’s unclear how the facility would be used as it is set up for the manufacturing of firearms, but there is significant space available, and using the facility to make other products is something that Remington has done in the past.
The plan is being praised by the Mayor of Ilion, Brian Lamica.
“This is in line with Remington to do something like this,” Ilion Mayor Brian Lamica said Tuesday. “They have always been there to help.”
Lamica said the Ilion plant has a history that goes beyond producing firearms, as it has also produced typewriters, sewing machines, bicycles and fire engines.
“It’s absolutely fantastic that the CEO would do that and reach out and try to help,” he said.
State Senator James Seward gave the plan his “full endorsement.”
“The Remington Arms workforce consists of dedicated, skilled men and women and I am working closely with the plant manager in Ilion to get them back on the job,” he said in an email.
“I have discussed this tremendous offer with company officials and pledged my support. Anything we can do to get people back to work in a safe environment, while helping our state recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, has my full endorsement.”
Source: Democrat & Chronicle
Kudos to Remington and all of the other companies that are stepping forward at this time.
