Federal, the world’s largest ammunitions manufacturer, is 100 years old! It’s an incredible tale, which starts in humble surroundings, producing shotshells in a 9,000 square-foot factory; but emerges a century later in a state of the art facility where a million rounds of ammunition are manufactured every day. The story is a familiar one and begins with one man, Charles L Horn, who had the vision, the work ethic and also crucially, the opportunity to create something quite special. Over those one hundred years the central mission has remained the same; to produce ammunition, be it centrefire, rimfire or shotshell, which performs to Federal’s exacting standards and therefore enhances the shooting experience.
Humble Origins
When Charles L. Horn took control of a three-year-old fledgling ammunition manufacturer in 1922 he knew he faced fierce competition from a pair of established ammo companies. So he embarked on a novel strategy. Horn worked to get Federal products onto the shelves of barber shops, gas stations and grocery stores. The strategy worked and the company began to grow. In 1941, Federal secured a contract worth $87 million from the U.S. government to build and operate the Twin City Ordnance Plant in Arden Hills, Minnesota, which was a contributor to military ammunition and other defence products during World War II.
Industrial Powerhouse
The Federal Ammunition factory in Anoka, Minnesota, is now a 700,000-square-foot state-of-the-art facility where 1,400 employees work in three shifts, 24/7, to produce millions of rounds of centerfire, rimfire and shotshell ammo per day.
The factory is vertically integrated, which means raw materials enter one door and finished product rolls out the other end. Importantly for quality control, the factory is also self-sustaining meaning all the personnel needed to build quality ammo are on site, including machine operators, plumbers and electricians. And to make sure the ammo performs at the highest level, the site also contains 16 test ranges—10 centerfire, one rimfire, and five shotshell.
Industrial Powerhouse
The Federal Ammunition factory in Anoka, Minnesota, is now a 700,000-square-foot state-of-the-art facility where 1,400 employees work in three shifts, 24/7, to produce millions of rounds of centerfire, rimfire and shotshell ammo per day.
The factory is vertically integrated, which means raw materials enter one door and finished product rolls out the other end. Importantly for quality control, the factory is also self-sustaining meaning all the personnel needed to build quality ammo are on site, including machine operators, plumbers and electricians. And to make sure the ammo performs at the highest level, the site also contains 16 test ranges—10 centerfire, one rimfire, and five shotshell.
Ready for The Next Century
Its size and strength. Its technological and logistical advantages. Its branding and reputation. It all comes together to make Federal the industry leader in sporting ammunition, a position the company is eager to maintain and expand upon in the coming decades.
“It started a century ago with our founder, Charles Horn, and we’re proud to carry on that legacy today,” Vanderbrink, (President of Vista) says. “Federal is stronger than ever, and we’re looking forward to serving shooters for the next 100 years.”
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