Welcome to Sturgis!Here's what business people who moved to Sturgis have to say: "The work
ethic is one of the best things about South Dakota,
plus the tax situation and the fact that the state
doesn't overburden you with regulations." 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 pay one-fourth the taxes they'd pay in Minnesota, and one-half what they'd pay 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."
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 that South Dakota manufactures hold. In Sturgis, unlike Detroit, there's physically 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 Industrial Expansion Corporation. |