PIERRE - Chamberlain will soon be home to a division of A-Square Company, LLC, (A-Square), a Kentucky-based firearm and ammunition manufacturer. The company will create 24 jobs in the area, and should be up and running by March 2008.
"We are pleased to welcome A-Square to South Dakota," said Gov. Mike Rounds. "This is a well established company, with a strong history of providing outdoor enthusiasts with the finest equipment available." The company manufacturers sporting rifles, hunting ammunition, cartridge cases, and bullets for hunting ammunition.
A-Square owner Col Arthur B. Alphin, USA Ret., decided to move the company from Kentucky to two western locations to take advantage of the region's workforce and receptive environment for the firearm industry. The rifle division will move to Glenrock, Wyoming, and the non-ferrous division will move to Chamberlain. "South Dakota stood out to us and Chamberlain proved to be a perfect fit for our needs," Alphin said. "The community's workforce, infrastructure, and enthusiasm for the outdoors will be a great asset to us as we move forward."
The Chamberlain non-ferrous division will manufacture bullets, cartridge cases, and sporting ammunition, and serve as headquarters of the company's extensive research and development efforts.
Lt. Gov. Dennis Daugaard spoke at the announcement, and said it is a direct result of the state's aggressive marketing in the firearm industry. "The firearm industry is a natural fit for South Dakota. Today's announcement confirms that we are positioned to be a leader in this industry," said Lt. Gov. Daugaard.
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Chamberlain Mayor Doug Nelson called the announcement "great news" for this community of 2,300 people. "We are excited to have A-Square as the newest member of our business community", he said.
April Reis, Executive Director of the Lake Francis Case Development Corporation, agreed. "The field to recruit this business was very competitive. We worked very hard to prove to Mr. Alphin that Chamberlain was the right community for his company. This is proof that small communities like ours can compete with larger towns for economic opportunities," she said.
A-Square began in 1974 as an idea by Alphin, now one of the world's most renowned big game hunters and ammunition experts. In addition to manufacturing and marketing of proven designs, the company provides technical and research support for law enforcement and for the firearms industry. Company employees also write and publish technical treatises.
A-Square is a member of the extremely exclusive Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers Institute (SAAMI), in which there are only 23 members industry-wide. This organization sets the standards for firearms and ammunition dimensions and quality, and, by regulation, is the only organization that can coordinate with the American National Standards Institute on issues involving firearms and ammunition.
For more information about A-Square, visit www.asquarecompany.com . To learn more about the Governor's Office of Economic Development's efforts, visit www.sdreadytowork.com .
The Daily Republic will have further coverage of this story in Wednesday's edition.
