Remington Outdoor Co. is closing its Montana Rifleman firearms manufacturing east of Kalispell and will move production to Alabama, a company spokesman confirmed Friday.

Remington is consolidating multiple production plants and centralizing production at the old Chrysler building in Huntsville, a move that is expected to create more than 2,000 new jobs for Alabama over the next decade.

“This was a strategic business decision to concentrate our resources into fewer locations and improve manufacturing efficiency and quality,” said Teddy Novin, Remington’s director of public affairs. “We are working hard to retain as many people from the affected facilities as possible.”

Novin did not give specifics about the Kalispell plant’s work force or say when the local facility will close, but a Remington press release indicated the company is expected to begin operations in Alabama within 18 months. 

Remington purchased Montana Rifleman in March 2013 from Brian Sipe, who started the company and grew it into one of the Flathead’s premier firearms manufacturing facilities. In 2011 the company produced 143,000 rifle and pistol barrels and by 2012 production soared to more than 312,000 barrels with a work force of about 170 people.

Sipe began making custom guns in 1990 in an old dairy barn off Whitefish Stage Road. He ventured into action manufacturing in 1999 and by 2008 the company’s focus shifted from custom guns to barrel production.

Remington, whose corporate headquarters are in Madison, N.C., announced expansion plans in Alabama in February, noting a strong recruitment effort by the state’s economic development leaders.

“This additional capacity is essential to fulfill demand and introduce new products,” Remington Chairman and Chief Executive Officer George Kollitides said in a prepared statement. “Having watched our company grow from 2,400 employees in 2008 to 4,200 employees by the end of 2013, a five-year, 75 percent increase, it is easy to see why we’re investing now.”

Last year Remington made significant strides, including its ammunition facility expansion and firearm capacity growth. The company also won a multitude of highly competitive military and law enforcement contracts. It launched its 1816 lifestyle brand and introduced a series of new products such as Ultimate Defense Handgun Ammunition and the 783 bolt-action rifle, the company said. 

The Alabama expansion provides for future capacity to support existing product demand and a robust new product pipeline, Kollitides said.

Remington has 19 locations in the United States. Founded in 1816, the company touts itself as one of America’s oldest continuously operating gunmakers.

Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by email at lhintze@dailyinterlake.com.