Page 15 - BusinessWest October 13, 2021

But as the dust settles from that “The reason they’re here, and the reason a lot of the one of those times,” he told Business-
bombshell announcement, the linger- ing questions concern just what the region and the state have lost from the relocation of this company, one that can trace its roots back to 1856.
And the answers to that question don’t exactly come easily.
Western Mass. will lose roughly
550 jobs, according to the information released by the company — a signifi- cant number, to be sure, but econom- ic-development leaders are quick to point out that just about every manu- facturer has a ‘help wanted’ sign on the door, either figuratively or quite liter- ally, and that any one of those Smith & Wesson employees who doesn’t want to relocate to Tennessee can find employ- ment in the 413 quickly and easily (much more on that later).
Meanwhile, the region will also lose a number of C-suite-level employees from the company that were involved in the community, sat on area boards and commissions, and engaged in phil- anthropic activity.
“They’re tied to the community,” said Richard Sullivan, president and CEO of the Western Massachusetts Economic Development Council (EDC). “And I think that, sometimes, those aspects of what it means to have a headquarters, the CEOs, and the team at any company get lost; it’s the tieback to the community, because they’re truly vested in the community and want to see it be the best it can be.”
Meanwhile, even though Smith & Wesson handguns and other products will still be made here, and we’re told they will be stamped ‘made in Spring- field, Mass.,’ or words to that effect, the region will lose a certain amount of civic pride, if that’s the right term, that comes from having a large employer — and one of the most recognizable brands in the world — headquartered in the City of Homes. Indeed, many would say this company is part of not only the history, but the very fabric of the city.
However, those we spoke with said the region and city are unlikely to lose momentum when it comes to attract- ing employers and jobs, or its reputa- tion as a manufacturing hub.
Indeed, Sullivan used the phrase “one-off” to describe Smith & Wes- son’s decision, drawing a distinction between this pending departure and a much larger exodus, headlined by Gen- eral Electric, that befell Connecticut several years ago.
“The reason they’re here, and the reason a lot of the jobs will remain here, is that you have a high-quality workforce,” he explained. “And that is probably the biggest issue companies are looking at right now. As a region, and as a state, we’re still a good place to do business.”
State Sen. Eric Lesser, who repre- sents Springfield and several neighbor- ing communities and serves as chair of the state’s Manufacturing Caucus,
jobs will remain here, is that you have a high-quality workforce. And that is probably the biggest issue companies are looking at right now. As a region, and as a state, we’re still a good place to do business.”
West. “We have a very real economic challenge in terms of making sure that those 550 families are taken of. But this is a long-term horizon — they’re not doing this until 2023. Luckily for those families, the manufacturing sector is very hot, and really, almost every com- pany in that sector, including compa- nies right in that immediate neighbor- hood where Smith & Wesson is located, are looking for people.”
Lesser is one of many elected lead- ers who are not buying into Smith & Wesson’s contention that it’s moving its headquarters because of the pending legislation. He echoed comments from
agreed, and then went further, not- ing that, amid some obvious losses, there are also some possible benefits to Smith & Wesson’s decision. He even used the phrase “potential blessing in disguise,” mostly to reference oppor-
tunities that other area manufacturers may have to stabilize and grow their ventures by hiring displaced S&W workers.
“Sometimes, when one door closes, another one opens, and this may be
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