Hitting the Bullseye
The Industry at a Glance
- Home to the Duck Hunting Capital of the World: Stuttgart, Arkansas
- 3rd in economic output per capita in the arms and ammunition industry (Source: National Shooting Sports Foundation)
- 3rd Most Gun-Friendly State (Source: Ammo.com)
- 3rd Largest Exporter of Firearms and Ammunitions in the U.S. (Source: Global Trade Atlas, 2023)
- 8 pro-gun bills passed into law during the 2023 legislative session
- $2.3B in economic output
INFRASTRUCTURE
- Three U.S. interstates connecting east and west coasts, and the Canada and Mexico borders
- 16,418 miles of state and U.S. Highways – 12th largest system in the U.S.
- Eight intermodal freight facilities with four riverports
- 2,542 miles of Class 1 rail systems
- #3 in the nation with 1,000 miles of inland, navigable waterways
- Approximately 100 public airports including Clinton National, Northwest Arkansas National, and close proximity to Memphis International and the Fed-Ex hub
Well-trained workforce
- 7th highest percentage of manufacturing employment (Source: Business Facilities)
- 1.36M skilled and trained workforce
- 12% of Arkansas’ workforce is employed in manufacturing
- 8,400+ people employed in the arms and ammunitions industry.
Business Climate in Arkansas
- #3 Least Expensive State for Starting a Small Business (Source: SimplifyLLC)
- #2 on the Cost of Living Index (Source: C2ER)
- 7th highest percentage of manufacturing employment (Source: Business Facilities)
EDUCATION
- 50 colleges, universities & 2-year colleges throughout Arkansas
- 2,100+ engineering degrees awarded each year
- 150k+ students enrolled at an Arkansas institution of higher learning
- Black River Technical College is 1 of only 11 accredited gunsmithing programs in the US – and the only institution connected to a law enforcement training academy.
- Ozarka College's Precision Machining program prepares students for a career in manufacturing, providing them with skills in manual machining and operation of CNC mills and lathes.
Firearms & Ammunition Industry
Executive Overview
Arkansas is Primed for Success
Home to the duck hunting capital of the world and the 3rd most gun-friendly state, Arkansas is the natural choice for firearms and ammunition companies to find success.
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Northwest Arkansas Ranks Among 25 Best-Performing Metro Areas in the Nation
February 14, 2018Nestled in the Ozark Mountains and often referred to as “Razorback Country,” Northwest Arkansas is a booming metro area home to more than half a million people. With Arkansas’ total population of three million, it’s outstanding to find the Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers metropolitan statistical area* among the Top 25 Best-Performing Cities in the nation, as ranked by the Milken Institute.
Each year, Milken ranks large metropolitan areas (and, separately, small areas) in the United States based on growth in jobs, wages, high-tech jobs and high-tech wages. The top 25 cities are located in only 12 states.
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Northwest Arkansas was a popular destination for the “Back-to-the-Land Movement.” But it’s the presence of three Fortune 500 company headquarters — J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Tyson Foods and Walmart — along with the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville that helped double the region’s population between 1990 and 2010.
Northwest Arkansas has also had significant job gains in the health care sector, with nearly 7,000 people employed by local and regional medical centers. Additionally, the Northwest Arkansas Council actively works to propel the region to the forefront, focusing on workforce development, regional stewardship, infrastructure and economic development. The robust population and job growth in the region helps the overall economic stability in Arkansas.
This recent Milken ranking isn’t the only achievement earned by the region. Northwest Arkansas can also boast placement on Realtor.com’s 10 Best Cities to Launch a Career, U.S. News & World Report’s Best Affordable Places to Live, Forbes’ list of Best Midsize Cities for Jobs, and Fast Company and Nerdwallet’s list of Best Places for Minority-Owned Businesses, among others.
Mervin Jebaraj, director for the Center of Business & Economic Research at the University of Arkansas recently spoke at the 2018 Economic Forecast Luncheon in Rogers. He stated that 6,000 of the 11,000 jobs Arkansas is expected to add in 2018 will be located in Northwest Arkansas. The fastest-growing sectors in the region include construction, healthcare, hospitality, and professional/business services, with the latter representing the largest sector in Northwest Arkansas.
Strong regions help Arkansas be one of the best states for business development, as more and more companies discover what the state has to offer.
The Milken Institute in Santa Monica, Calif., is a nonprofit, nonpartisan economic think tank that advances innovative economic and policy solutions that create jobs, widen access to capital, and enhance health.
*The Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers metro area includes the three named cities, along with Bentonville, and Madison County, Arkansas, and McDonald County, Missouri.
At AEDC, we know economic advancement doesn’t happen by accident. We work strategically with businesses and communities to create strong economic opportunities, making Arkansas the natural choice for success. Here are some examples of businesses that are thriving!
Arkansas offers a range of competitive incentives for businesses looking to open, expand or relocate.
