"The work ethic of our employees in Sturgis has been outstanding. The move to South Dakota where we have No Corporate income tax, No personal income tax, No personal property tax, No inventory tax and No Inheritance tax certainly helps the bottom line in any business. When you make a profit in South Dakota, you get to keep it."

- Norma Allen, Co-Founder, Dakota Arms, Inc.

Don and Norma Allen moved their company, which manufactures top-grade sporting firearms, from Northfield, Minnesota to Sturgis in 1985. They like the Black Hills and believed South Dakota's business-friendly tax climate would mean growth for Dakota Arms. Their hunch proved right - since the move they've expanded from 8 employees to 42.  Their products have won prestigious awards including the 1996 Shotgun of the Year, as judged by the Shooting Industry Academy of Excellence.  Awards, say the Allen's, are testimony to  their workers' pride in craftsmanship. When it comes to the bottom line, Norma estimates they paid one-fourth of the taxes they paid in Minnesota, and one-half of what they would have paid in Colorado.

"I looked at a number of locations to expand our business operations.  Sturgis offered the best combination of location, labor force, and quality of life of any area we saw. My family greatly enjoys the community and the people - this made the transition from larger city very easy."

- Peter Pi, Owner, Cor-bon

COR*BON, a high-velocity bullet manufacturer, moved to Sturgis from Detroit, Michigan in April, 1995.  Immediately it had to meet a huge production deadline of   half-a-million ammunition rounds for the Puerto Rican State Police. Despite the company's transition, owner Peter Pi found his South Dakota employees had no problem meeting the deadline.  Pi says a stable, committed workforce is a huge advantage for South Dakota manufactures. In Sturgis, unlike Detroit, there's physical room for growth, and construction is affordable.  Pi was lured to South Dakota, too, by reasonable taxes, supportive bankers, and incentives and assistance provided by both the State and Sturgis Economic Development Corporation.