Beretta to build Tennessee firearms plant

Published 4:43 pm Wednesday, January 29, 2014

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Italian gun maker Beretta said it is building a manufacturing and research plant in Tennessee, which was one of the states trying to woo the gun maker from Maryland after the company raised objections to a wide-ranging weapons control measure enacted there last year.

The $45 million plant in the Nashville suburb of Gallatin is projected to create 300 new jobs.

The family-owned company has operated in Italy since 1526. Beretta makes a variety of firearms, ranging from hunting shotguns to the U.S. Armed Forces M-9 pistol.

Beretta officials said Wednesday that have reached capacity in Maryland, requiring the expansion elsewhere.

Beretta said it plans to complete the new factory this year.