MONTGOMERY, WV (WOAY) – “I love seeing great things happen in rural West Virginia. And it’s thrilling to see a substantial project benefit rural communities and counties.”
It’s massive news. The Trump Administration declared that the USDA will be investing $7.5 million for the creation of an ammunitions factory in Montgomery. The loan is being made to Ranger Scientific, who has chosen the old Montgomery High School building as the base for the facility. Montgomery will be seeing an economic boost off of this project.
“Over the next five years, there will be manufacturing jobs, approximately 400,” said Ranger Scientific CEO Daniel Pearlson. “That will consist primarily of automation systems, there are some warehouse operations. Research and development, and administrative services.”
This project is one of eight across West Virginia totaling more than $28 billion in business and industry loan guarantees for rural areas.
“This last year alone, we invested $462 million in West Virginia, and in communities just like this,” said USDA Rural Development State Director Kris Warner. “To be eligible for any of our loans or grants, you have to be outside of the Charleston metropolitan area.”
One of the objectives of USDA Rural Development is to expand economic opportunities and create jobs in areas such as Montgomery.
“We have 49 different programs that we can administer to help build healthy strong communities,” Warner said.
As things stand, the plan is for only two people to be brought in from out of state, with the rest of the work being divided among the locals. With that strategy, there will be a lot of winners coming out of this announcement.
“Our plan is to employ as many local people as we can,” Pearlson said. “In fact, part of our process is to commence training to bring people up to where we can rely on them for all operations.”
Ranger Scientific is hoping to start the first production on the factory towards the end of April.
