The Wyoming Business Council has recommended full funding to expand the Gunwerks firearms manufacturing facility in Cody. The project is expected to bring in up to 66 new jobs.
Gunwerks is a Wyoming manufacturing company focused on precision, long-range shooting systems. Cody’s economic development agency Forward Cody will be providing the money to build a manufacturing facility three times bigger than the current facility.
James Klessens, the CEO and President of Forward Cody, said it's important to provide a boost to a company that other states would love to have within their borders.
“Unfortunately, in Wyoming it's a little more expensive to build things. We’re a little further from supplies so we’re in a disadvantage,” Klessens said.
He said by helping with building costs, Gunwerks can spend its capital resources on people, equipment and raw materials instead of worrying about money for the new manufacturing facility.
“It’s a [manufacturing] sector that’s growing and has importance, because what people build in Cody and Wyoming as a general rule we sell somewhere else, bringing new money into our economy,” said Klessens.
The facility will be owned by the community and leased to Gunwerks. The building is projected to be completed by December 2019.