Some interesting news to say the least!

Gun producer may help Cortez economy boom

August 22, 2002

By Katharhynn Heidelberg
Cortez Journal

Economically strapped Cortez received welcome news Tuesday, when representatives of businessman Eric T. Curlee announced he would be locating a start-up firearms corporation – and ultimately 150 jobs – in town.

ETC7, a name based on Curlee’s initials, will assemble and distribute high-end firearms and related items such as holstery.

In the future, the company hopes to start special retail stores as well.

Operations are set to begin in the Cortez Industrial Park by the end of the year, Jim Foley, the company’s vice president of sales and marketing, told the Mesa Verde Economic Development Council.

"We’ve taken a lot of smaller companies and brought them under one banner," Foley said.

The business also plans to build a main facility in the Montezuma County, which will take an additional six to eight months to complete. It also will build a trucking hub for distribution to join the facilities it currently has in North Carolina and Texas.

Construction will start "once we pass muster with the county," Foley said. Construction could start as soon as Oct. 1, because the gun parts will be manufactured in Texas, making the environmental impact is significantly lower, Foley said.

Everything else – engineering, research, development, assembly, marketing and distribution – will be done in the county, he said.

Gunmakers have faced questions nationwide concerning legal liability when their weapons are used in crimes. Foley said most lawsuits levied against gun manufacturers have been thrown out of court.

"We have very good legal standing," he said, and he expressed confidence in the firm’s team of lawyers.

The timing for the business was right. "We were going to do this anyway," he said, "but since 9-11, people are becoming more and more responsible for their own safety.

"It’s obvious that the police and government can’t be everywhere at any one time so what we’re doing is providing products and services for those people who want to become more responsible for their own safety."

ETC7 will bring back a line of handguns that Foley characterized as "ahead of its time in the 1970s." The Detonics line was originally designed by Sid Woodcock, a World War II veteran. "We’re going to bring that (Detonics) back," Foley said.

In addition, he said, Autuga rifles will also be assembled in Cortez. This line of firearms is customizable for police, SWAT teams, and hunters, Foley said.

The company will build a testing range, but in the meantime, Foley hopes to work with local firing ranges.

The company also boasts holstery lines, including Jerry Ahern Holsters (individually made stock holders), Law Concealment (concealed-carry holsters), Magnolia Sports and Rod Kibler Saddlery.

The operation will include other components such as the manufacture of CD-ROM catalogs for firearms companies, which will gradually be expanded to other types of catalogs and magazines.

Additionally, Rocky Mountain Magnum Canine, a facility for breeding and training protection dogs, will come under the ETC7 umbrella and be located in the county. Customers have the option of purchasing fully grown and trained dogs, or puppies that can be brought back for training at designated times.

The Cortez Industrial Park site, the former Osprey Packs building, is ideal, Foley said. "It’s a natural for us," he said. "It’s already set up for sewing." He added that ETC7 hopes to hire many of the assembly workers who were laid off when Osprey moved its production overseas.

Foley estimates that by the end of ETC7’s first year, the company will employ 100 to 150 people, primarily in sewing. He said salaries would be competitive. "It’s not going to be just minimum wage, I guarantee that," he said.

The company is also seeking machinists, engineers, production and assembly workers, packaging and shipping personnel and customer-service representatives. Foley expects the application process to begin some time in September.