Located since December 1995 off West Main Street in Conway in a 32,000-square-foot facility, Sanborn says the company has no space to add more machines. Rather than increase the building's footprint, or to work traditional shifts that would require overtime on weekends, management and employees have come up with what he terms a more creative solution:
Employees will work three 12-hour days and one six-hour day, with the company hiring four shift teams (one for the day shift and one for the night shift for the first part of the week, and another set for the second part of the week) who will run the plant's machines 24-7.
“We could have gone to conventional eight-hour shifts and to work overtime on Saturdays and Sundays, but it gets hot in summer, and people need time off. There was mixed reaction from employees, as people don't like change, but we discussed options how to best do this with management and employees, and this is what we have settled on. So everyone has been involved to some degree,” said Sanborn.
“Obviously,” he added, “the goal is to double production. We have filled the building with machines. The only [way] we can do it without expanding the footprint of the building is this creative choice to try and make it work. ”
Outreach to Berlin area
He and Smith said the company is working with the state Office of Employment Security on helping to fill the positions.
“We are really encouraging people in outlying areas such as Berlin where there are such work issues to apply. We will help them to team up to work shifts with fellow residents to carpool,” added Sanborn, who commutes from Bethlehem to Conway. “I have met with [state Sen.] John Gallus to see if there is anything we can do transportation wise to set up something between Berlin and Conway.”
Jobs start at approximately $9 an hour and top off at $17 an hour, depending on experience.
The company offers a benefits package that includes Blue Cross Blue Shield health and dental insurance as well as a savings plan and two weeks vacation to start.
“We're very excited because we will be adding jobs to the Conway area,” said Smith.
Conway town manager Earl Sires welcomed the news, saying “Congratulations to Green Mountain.”
'Timing right for expansion'
Sanborn said conditions are right for the move.
“It's come to a point of our growth to go ahead and do this,” said Sanborn last week, saying the rifle barrel manufacturing company has grown from annual sales of $3 million when he started 16 years ago to $11 million.
“We are the largest rifle barrel manufacturer in the United States,” said Sanborn, ”and have been for years. It is evident that the time is right for us to solidify our position, and we are in a position to do it. We are primarily a contractor for the firearms industry — the military, the civilian market and a little in between."
He said he and colleagues in the industry have tried to get a better handle on why gun ownership has risen.
Asked if one could argue that gun owners are fearful of any potential further gun ownership restraints from the Obama administration, he chose not to answer that directly other than to say, “There are some political issues at play for sure. And economic unease as well with what's gone on in the financial world. In addition, a lot of new hobbyists are military people returning from combat. In the old days, service people got to keep their firearms, but that isn't the case today. They can buy very similar weapons for hunting and target shooting, however. With a country with a population of roughly 375 million, to get an increase of 3 to 6 percent to get into rifle shooting is a lot,” said Sanborn.
Started in Effingham in 1976
Green Mountain Rifle Barrel Company was founded in the shadow of Green Mountain in Effingham by Branch Meanley in 1976 as a manufacturer of muzzleloader rifle barrels. It later moved to East Conway Road where White Horse Press is now located, and moved 17 years ago to its current location.
Purchased 10 years ago by EBSCO of Birmingham, Ala., the company has grown to become a leader in its field, according to Sanborn.
“When I came,” said Sanborn, “we essentially were a captive supplier to Knight Rifle, which is a muzzleloader company. We were a $3 million to $4 million per year in sales company and they were a $30 million company. But then they started to decline heavily a few years after that, so I decided to diversify into other areas, which got us into the nation's largest military contractors to rifle barrels, to NASA testing facilities for satellites, to anything that had a projectile coming out of it.”
The company continues to grow, even in these uncertain economic times, says Sanborn.
“We deliver quality at a good price, whether it's someone who needs 10,000 barrels for a government contract or 5,000 special run for a civilian order, they know they can come to us and we can make it happen,” said Sanborn.
Although Mount Washington Valley is not served by rail freight, Sanborn said that has not been a deterrent.
“We are real happy with our location, and the lack of rail freight is not a factor. For us it has to be trucking,” said Sanborn.
Diversified offerings
The company's website says it continues to strive to live up to founder Manley's business goals: “To provide a high quality rifle barrel which will please sportsmen, hunters, and shooting enthusiasts, by delivering a level of performance and quality which speaks for itself.”
The website adds that Green Mountain Rifle Barrel Company “serves hobbyists, gunsmiths and manufacturers alike with muzzleloader and replacement rifle barrels.”
The company adds that its products “provide the world's best competitive shooters and enthusiasts with accuracy and dependability they can count on.
“Uncompromising quality is achieved by crafting barrels using a hands-on approach in production. Individual attention is dedicated to ensure that each barrel is of the safest, most accurate and dependable quality. Select a category to left to view our premium quality replacement rifle barrels.”
The company website lists such products as commemorative collectibles, military barrels, black powder muzzeloader barrels, Ruger 10/22 and 77/22 target barrels, black powder pistol barrels, black powder cartridge rifle barrels, round rifle barrel blanks, and replacement rifle barrels.
The product inventory also include pistol caliber tapered octagon rifle barrels, gun dealer displays, muzzleloading supplies, shooting supplies, and gun cleaning supplies.
For further information, call 447-1095 or visit www.gmriflebarrel.com.
Employees will work three 12-hour days and one six-hour day, with the company hiring four shift teams (one for the day shift and one for the night shift for the first part of the week, and another set for the second part of the week) who will run the plant's machines 24-7.
“We could have gone to conventional eight-hour shifts and to work overtime on Saturdays and Sundays, but it gets hot in summer, and people need time off. There was mixed reaction from employees, as people don't like change, but we discussed options how to best do this with management and employees, and this is what we have settled on. So everyone has been involved to some degree,” said Sanborn.
“Obviously,” he added, “the goal is to double production. We have filled the building with machines. The only [way] we can do it without expanding the footprint of the building is this creative choice to try and make it work. ”
Outreach to Berlin area
He and Smith said the company is working with the state Office of Employment Security on helping to fill the positions.
“We are really encouraging people in outlying areas such as Berlin where there are such work issues to apply. We will help them to team up to work shifts with fellow residents to carpool,” added Sanborn, who commutes from Bethlehem to Conway. “I have met with [state Sen.] John Gallus to see if there is anything we can do transportation wise to set up something between Berlin and Conway.”
Jobs start at approximately $9 an hour and top off at $17 an hour, depending on experience.
The company offers a benefits package that includes Blue Cross Blue Shield health and dental insurance as well as a savings plan and two weeks vacation to start.
“We're very excited because we will be adding jobs to the Conway area,” said Smith.
Conway town manager Earl Sires welcomed the news, saying “Congratulations to Green Mountain.”
'Timing right for expansion'
Sanborn said conditions are right for the move.
“It's come to a point of our growth to go ahead and do this,” said Sanborn last week, saying the rifle barrel manufacturing company has grown from annual sales of $3 million when he started 16 years ago to $11 million.
“We are the largest rifle barrel manufacturer in the United States,” said Sanborn, ”and have been for years. It is evident that the time is right for us to solidify our position, and we are in a position to do it. We are primarily a contractor for the firearms industry — the military, the civilian market and a little in between."
He said he and colleagues in the industry have tried to get a better handle on why gun ownership has risen.
Asked if one could argue that gun owners are fearful of any potential further gun ownership restraints from the Obama administration, he chose not to answer that directly other than to say, “There are some political issues at play for sure. And economic unease as well with what's gone on in the financial world. In addition, a lot of new hobbyists are military people returning from combat. In the old days, service people got to keep their firearms, but that isn't the case today. They can buy very similar weapons for hunting and target shooting, however. With a country with a population of roughly 375 million, to get an increase of 3 to 6 percent to get into rifle shooting is a lot,” said Sanborn.
Started in Effingham in 1976
Green Mountain Rifle Barrel Company was founded in the shadow of Green Mountain in Effingham by Branch Meanley in 1976 as a manufacturer of muzzleloader rifle barrels. It later moved to East Conway Road where White Horse Press is now located, and moved 17 years ago to its current location.
Purchased 10 years ago by EBSCO of Birmingham, Ala., the company has grown to become a leader in its field, according to Sanborn.
“When I came,” said Sanborn, “we essentially were a captive supplier to Knight Rifle, which is a muzzleloader company. We were a $3 million to $4 million per year in sales company and they were a $30 million company. But then they started to decline heavily a few years after that, so I decided to diversify into other areas, which got us into the nation's largest military contractors to rifle barrels, to NASA testing facilities for satellites, to anything that had a projectile coming out of it.”
The company continues to grow, even in these uncertain economic times, says Sanborn.
“We deliver quality at a good price, whether it's someone who needs 10,000 barrels for a government contract or 5,000 special run for a civilian order, they know they can come to us and we can make it happen,” said Sanborn.
Although Mount Washington Valley is not served by rail freight, Sanborn said that has not been a deterrent.
“We are real happy with our location, and the lack of rail freight is not a factor. For us it has to be trucking,” said Sanborn.
Diversified offerings
The company's website says it continues to strive to live up to founder Manley's business goals: “To provide a high quality rifle barrel which will please sportsmen, hunters, and shooting enthusiasts, by delivering a level of performance and quality which speaks for itself.”
The website adds that Green Mountain Rifle Barrel Company “serves hobbyists, gunsmiths and manufacturers alike with muzzleloader and replacement rifle barrels.”
The company adds that its products “provide the world's best competitive shooters and enthusiasts with accuracy and dependability they can count on.
“Uncompromising quality is achieved by crafting barrels using a hands-on approach in production. Individual attention is dedicated to ensure that each barrel is of the safest, most accurate and dependable quality. Select a category to left to view our premium quality replacement rifle barrels.”
The company website lists such products as commemorative collectibles, military barrels, black powder muzzeloader barrels, Ruger 10/22 and 77/22 target barrels, black powder pistol barrels, black powder cartridge rifle barrels, round rifle barrel blanks, and replacement rifle barrels.
The product inventory also include pistol caliber tapered octagon rifle barrels, gun dealer displays, muzzleloading supplies, shooting supplies, and gun cleaning supplies.
For further information, call 447-1095 or visit www.gmriflebarrel.com.
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