Kimber announced this week they will have to pause production for the time being. (Photo: Chris Eger/Guns.com)
New York-based Kimber Manufacturing is the latest gun maker to have to pause operations due to state-ordered stay-at-home mandates that do not recognize the firearm industry as essential.
The company, which originally started in Oregon, has its headquarters in Yonkers, New York for more than 20 years while expanding operations to Montana and Alabama. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s order last Friday closed down Kimber’s Yonker’s facility– along with Remington’s Ilion, New York location.
On Thursday, Kimber announced that while production continues at the company’s new, state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Troy, Alabama, due to the large number of parts produced in Yonkers, the Troy facility will have to suspend production on March 31.
“This situation is unfortunate as we were off to an incredible start in gun shipments in 2020 and were running our factories seven days a week,” said Greg Grogan, Kimber president. “We would like to thank our dealers and consumers for their overwhelmingly positive response to our 2020 new products.”
Kimber had introduced almost a dozen new handgun models this year. These guns include the new Rapide series semi-custom 1911s in .45ACP, 9mm, and 10mm; three new Mico 9 models; a trio of new K6 revolvers; three new EVO series carry handguns and a Collector edition Raptor II in a distinctive two-tone black and tan scheme.
Kimber’s Troy-based customer service and repair services remain open to help customers while the Alabama-based Kimber online store is open and products are shipping as long as inventory lasts. Montana based dealer sales and customer service departments also remain open.
Besides Kimber and Remington, gun maker Dan Wesson has had to press the pause button on their production due to Cuomo’s order.
“Much like all Americans, Kimber will be challenged by these closures,” Grogan said. “But no one here has any doubt that we will all soon be back in production and stronger than ever.”