FN Breaks Ground On Second South Carolina Factory

by
posted on October 31, 2023
Fn Breaks Ground 2

On October 19, FN America broke ground on what will be the site of the company’s second production facility in South Carolina. This plant, built upon FN’s solid foundation and history within the state, will be located within the Pickens County Commerce Park in Liberty, near Greenville, S.C.

“This was a historic day for FN. More than 40 years ago, FN opened operations in Columbia to fulfill a government contract for the U.S. Army,” said Mark Cherpes, president and CEO of FN America. “Since that day, FN’s business has grown tremendously, and we have forged unbreakable bonds within the state of South Carolina. Pickens County is a great ally to the manufacturing community and one we have had ties to for many years through our ongoing partnership with their Career and Technology Center’s Machine Tool students. That partnership has helped to develop our future workforce in the community and will be of great importance as we embark upon this expansion to better meet the needs of our customers.”

The company will invest $33 million to construct the future 100,000-sq.-ft. facility over two phases beginning in April 2024 and create 176 new jobs for the Pickens community. With state-of-the-art equipment and construction, FN’s second facility will expand the company’s manufacturing footprint and allow it to meet demand of its military, law enforcement and consumer markets.

FN America was established in the United States in 1979 and opened its doors in 1981 to produce the M240 medium machine gun, a variant of the FN MAG-58, under contract to the U.S. Army. For more than 40 years, the company’s primary production facility has been in Richland County, S.C.—which includes Columbia—and has produced more than 1 million small arms under contract to the U.S. Department of Defense.

“Our connection to FN goes back many years with the work-based learning partnership established with the students of our Career and Technology Center,” said Ray Farley, executive director for Alliance Pickens economic development. “We are delighted to welcome FN as a permanent fixture in our community with this future facility.”

FN America employs more than 600 staff members who produce firearms, accessories and related products for the U.S. military, law enforcement agencies and consumers. The company has manufactured the M4A1, M16A4, M249 light machine gun, M240 and FN SCAR under contract for the U.S. military, as well as its FN 509 striker-fired pistol line used by U.S. law-enforcement agencies like the Los Angeles Police Department.

Latest

heavy machine gun crew with DShK on tripod pointing in air above trees
heavy machine gun crew with DShK on tripod pointing in air above trees

Red Fifty: The Soviet 12.7 mm DShK Heavy Machine Gun

While the Browning .50-cal. M2 machine gun has been unequaled for a century, John Moses Browning’s genius design has had one significant 12.7 mm competitor: the Soviet DShK.

Support The NRA Youth Education Summit (YES) On Giving Tuesday

With more than 1,200 students having graduated from the program and over $700,000 in scholarships awarded since 1996, NRA's YES is an immersive leadership program for high school students eager to learn about the foundations of our nation, the importance of civic engagement and the role of the Second Amendment.

Rifleman Review: Remington 360 Buckhammer

Remington Ammunition's 360 Buckhammer is a straight-wall hunting cartridge that's designed to give deer hunters an ideal round for their Midwestern hunt.

New For 2025: EAA Girsan Witness2311 Brat, Match and MatchX

European American Armory Corp. (EAA) introduced an affordable variation of the double-stack 1911 design with their Girsan Witness2311 in 2023, continually adding additional chamberings and slide length options. New for 2025, the company is adding three new versions of the Witness2311 with the Match, MatchX and Brat models.

Review: Citadel Trakr

At less than 4 lbs., this repeating rifle is easy on the back while also being extraordinarily easy on the budget.

Freedom Munitions To Move Ammo Component Production To Idaho

Freedom Munitions has announced it will be consolidating its projectile component production from X-Treme Bullets out of Nevada into its Lewiston, Idaho, facilities.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.