BREAKING NEWS: Freedom Group Buys Para USA
The Freedom Group has just announced that they have purchased 1911 manufacturer Para USA, the company formally known as Para Ordnance. During SHOT Show, Gear Scout reported that they heard rumors about this acquisition. The announcement was supposed to have happened during SHOT but was delayed for unknown reasons.
The press release ...
Madison, NC – Freedom Group, Inc., (FGI) through a wholly owned subsidiary has announced today that it has finalized an asset purchase agreement to acquire certain assets of Para USA, INC., (Para).
Founded in 1985, Para has built a solid and enviable reputation for innovation, performance and reliability. Firearms enthusiasts, serious shooting competitors and law enforcement agencies choose with confidence from a wide and growing variety of Para pistols. Para’s revolutionary high capacity frame and light double action ( LDA ™) trigger systems, are part of the innovation that Para has brought to the world famous 1911 design.
"We welcome Para into the Freedom Group Family of Companies,” stated. E. Scott Blackwell, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer of Freedom Group Inc. “Para USA is a leader in handgun technology and their fine products exemplify quality, innovation and performance. Para is a perfect complement to our industry-leading family of brands, and our success in 2011 with the Remington R1 - 1911. We look forward to deploying both human and financial resources to continue to develop and supply current and future handguns for consumers and our channel partners. We also wish to thank all its employees for their continued dedication that has made Para a success.”
Para will continue day-to-day operations at their Pineville, NC based facility.
In 2009 the Canadian firm Para Ordnance moved their manufacturing facility to Pineville, NC and rebranded themselves as Para USA.
As Remington consolidates its manufacturing in Ilion, NY and Mayfield, KY, I expect to see Para manufacturing moved to the new facility in the near future.
its a shame that Para was bought out. It had a number of employees that were relocated to the states whos future is now uncertain. Aquisitions like this, means, a lot of lay offs!
When a company such as Freedom Group has so many firearm manufactures under its control, we should be worried as our freedoms are being removed slowly so shall the demise of the weapon industry with one fail swoop.
Consider if the Freedom Group closes and stops all production?
I don’t believe this to be a good sign especially when it is unclear what or who is at the bottom line of the Freedom Group, which the name George Soros has circulated a few times.
Tag for the lawyers and security escorting the former owner out.
Brian P.wrote on January 31st, 2012 at 8:03 am
“Great…let’s just hope that they don’t do to Para what they did to Marlin.”
Plus 1 on that sentiment.
Nothing bad has happened to Marlin — I just purchased an 1896G and it is surpurb.
As a former PARA employee, with many friends still there,I worry about them moving the company elsewhere. Hopefully, they will get rid of some of the front office, and put some people in place that know how to run a company.
Eggs. Basket.
A Remington R1 with 14 rounds. I can live with that. An R1 made of aluminifrikkenen, with 18 rounds, OMG, the world is over.
I’m actually more worried of them killing off the R1 line than of them “ruining” Para’s lineup.
This is not a particularly relevant comment, but i’ve always had a hard-on for the Para Warthog.
Great…let’s just hope that they don’t do to Para what they did to Marlin.
Freedom Group? Wtf?!
“Let Freedom bring with the shotgun blast…”
Remington consolidated facilities that weren’t making money to cut overhead. If para is making money there’s no reason to move the facilities.
They are cutting costs to make a greater profit.
So, does Freedom Group/Cerebus now own basically ALL US gun manufacturers?
I was glad to see Para move to SC, sad to see them drop the rifle(I was saving up for one of those), and we will just have to see how this FGI thing works out. The potential problem is that, with just one master company, the plug could be pulled on all production of all firearms owned by that company at once.
I hope I can found a gun company good enough to be bought out one day…
And the all the Quality Control girls sing “down, d-down, down d-down d-down down, d-down…”
No it’s not.
There’s another loss for guns.
The problem with FGI is sure they have been in business for 154 years,but that’s because they have bought out their competitors. FNH did the same thing.
Just think about if we get another “anti-gun/anti-gun rights” President elected..
What other inane safety devices will be mandated and implemented. When gun companies hear “A new gun law was passed today…” the big corporations hand down new rules and those rules must be implemented.
Taurus did the “key lock” which I didn’t find useful,especially on revolvers.
Some gun companies just supplied a small cable lock.
Para-Ord had the first double stack “high cap” 1911. Thanks to gun laws at the time,we were down-graded to 10 rounds max. Para had the double action 1911.
Colt and SIG haven’t been bought out by FGI…yet. I know they will probably make a push for one or the other.
I equate FGI to AT&T. Sure it’s a LARGE corporation,but it feeds on smaller businesses to stay alive (AT&T tried to buy out T-Mobile..leaving one less wireless carrier in the USA,but the government said no)
A little dramatic, but fine. It’s not like Para is the only game in town for 1911s. They aren’t really innovators in the field either. Not the best or the worst, Freedom bought a lot of cnc machines and a factory, maybe this will infuse Para with enough cash to really step up their game.
The latest AAC silencers look fucking GREAT. Then again, the latest DPMS, Bushmaster, and Remington (not Defense) all look rather meh, so what do I know?
They already attempted to buy Colt. Thankfully, Colt said “no”. I have a feeling that the “Freedom” Group will implement many things that our lawmakers have wanted to do but couldn’t legislate. Nothing good ever comes out of a monopoly.
So… Is this even a good thing?
Well, if you were the former owner of Para and feel like taking an early retirement, Freedom Group will most likely try and assist with that. Ask Kevin at AAC.
Freedom Group – Retirement Planning