Colt firearms plant coming to Osceola — but what will company...

Colt firearms plant coming to Osceola — but what will company make there?

Company won't disclose manufacturing plans
December 16, 2011|By David Breen, Orlando Sentinel

The decision by iconic firearms maker Colt Manufacturing Co. to open a factory near Kissimmee comes as welcome news as the area struggles through a down economy — even if no one outside the company seems to know what will be made there.

The new factory for Colt, maker of weapons including the Model 1911 pistol and the M16 rifle, will create 63 jobs in Osceola County with an average wage of $45,060 a year. That's 150 percent of Osceola's average wage.

The operation will serve as "a regional headquarters and product manufacturing center," according to the company, which won't say what products will be manufactured there.

And even though the county and state put together a lucrative package of incentives to lure the firearms maker, County Commission Chairman John Quinones said he doesn't know exactly what Colt plans to make in Osceola either.

"The opportunity that it presents goes well beyond weapons," Quinones said, noting the possibility of attracting additional companies to the area in coming years.

Anytime the region can add hard-to-find manufacturing jobs, Quinones said, "it's just a win-win."

Work is under way on bringing a 16,000-square-foot building up to code and converting it into a factory. The county will retain ownership of the building, which formerly housed the Council on Aging, with Colt paying rent of $1 a year for the first five years of the deal.

Company spokesman Carlton Chen said by email that the company is focusing on converting the building into "first-class manufacturing space."

Colt traces its heritage to Samuel Colt, who received a patent for his legendary revolver in 1836. Today the privately held company is based in West Hartford, Conn., where it has a 100,000-square-foot plant.

In addition to the incentive package, Colt President and CEO William Keys cited Florida's regulatory environment and low cost of doing business as reasons for the expansion into Osceola.

The creation of the 63 jobs will be spread out over the coming years, starting in 2012.

"They have up to three years to create those jobs, and there are penalties at the state and local level if those jobs are not created," said Maria Toumazos, Osceola County's economic development administrator.

Valencia College's Osceola campus will provide training for the factory's future work force — although just what training will be required is not yet clear either.

"They're looking for skilled employees in the manufacturing area," said Gaby Hawat, senior executive for strategic initiatives and economic development for Valencia. "There may be customer-relations work as well."

Hawat and Toumazos both said they expect they building to be completed in June. Hiring could begin in the spring, with manufacturing ramping up soon after the June completion date.

The project has been in the works since November 2010, Toumazos said, when the statewide economic-development organization Enterprise Florida sent out a request for proposals. Osceola was among the applicants, and in the end was Colt's winning choice.

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2011-12-16/news/os-colt-firearms-factory-osceola-20111216_1_carlton-chen-colt-firearms-plant-manufacturing-plans

FYI: October 2010 was around the time the USMC leaked the XLS spreadsheet which mentioned the MAUL is under evaluation; one month before the project kicked off in November. It's possibly a coincidence, but I don't think so.

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