March 19 : 2009
Smith & Wesson Manufactures Six Millionth Pair of Handcuffs
HOULTON, Maine (March 18, 2009) – Smith & Wesson Corp., the legendary 157-year old firearms maker, announced that after 30 years of manufacturing high quality handcuff restraints at its facility in Houlton, Maine, the company recently produced its six millionth pair of handcuffs. Used in service around the globe by law enforcement agencies, security divisions, and military organizations, Smith & Wesson handcuffs are the most widely produced and supplied restraints currently available.
Manufactured with many of the same engineering techniques and materials that are found in the company’s renowned firearms, Smith & Wesson handcuffs have long set the standard for durability and innovative features. Soon after Smith & Wesson produced its first pair of handcuffs in 1979 at the Houlton facility, the company quickly caught the attention of police departments across the nation. Today, Smith & Wesson produces over 44 different types of restraints, covering a broad spectrum of handcuffs, restraint chains and leg irons.
“This is a significant benchmark for us,” said Tom Kelly, Vice President of Marketing for Smith & Wesson. “The staff at our Houlton, Maine, facility takes great pride in making high quality, reliable products that meet the demands of today’s professional law enforcement and security officers. We plan to capitalize on our leadership position by continuing to produce new and innovative models that meet the needs of these professionals.”
Fabricated from the finest carbon or stainless steel material, Smith & Wesson handcuffs feature heat-treated internal locks and smooth ratchets for ease of cuffing. All Smith & Wesson handcuffs are standard with a double locking system to prevent tampering and to provide an extra level of security. Pin lock models feature a push-pin that provides extra security while also preventing further tightening of the handcuffs. Each pair of Smith & Wesson handcuffs has been engineered to meet or surpass the requirements of the National Institute for Justice and all models can be customized to fit agency specifications.
In January, Smith & Wesson introduced a new addition to its handcuff line, the M&P Lever-Lock™. Unique to the industry, the M&P Lever Lock Handcuff requires no key to activate the double-lock feature. This innovation eliminates the need for officers to search for a key while securing the cuff. The M&P Lever Lock unlocks like other Smith & Wesson handcuffs by using the standard handcuff key. Smith & Wesson has also recently introduced M100 handcuffs in multiple colors, each featuring the patented Weather Shield™ finish. Adding an extra level of protection against moisture and corrosion, the advanced Weather Shield finish is commonly used on firearms from the Smith & Wesson and Thompson/Center Arms line.
“Since first opening its doors in 1966, our Houlton facility has grown from a staff of 18 to 150 employees,” said Terry Wade, Houlton Plant Manger. “Along with producing the company’s diverse line of restraints, the facility is also responsible for producing all Smith & Wesson semi-automatic rimfire pistols, the Walther PPK and PPK/S along with Smith & Wesson’s 3rd Generation and SW1911 Series pistols. Our recent milestone in handcuff production is due largely in part to the dedicated and talented team put in place here at Houlton.”
For more information on Smith & Wesson handcuffs, or to enroll in a Handcuff Training course at the Smith & Wesson Academy, visit http://www.smith-wesson.com/ or call Customer Service at 1-800-331-0852.
About Smith & Wesson
Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation, a global leader in safety, security, protection and sport, is parent company to Smith & Wesson Corp., one of the world’s largest manufacturers of quality firearms and firearm safety/security products and parent company to Thompson/Center Arms Company, Inc., a premier designer and manufacturer of premium hunting rifles, black powder rifles, interchangeable firearms systems and accessories under the Thompson/Center brand. Smith & Wesson licenses shooter protection, knives, apparel, and other accessory lines. Smith & Wesson is based in Springfield, Massachusetts with manufacturing facilities in Springfield, Houlton, Maine, and Rochester, New Hampshire. The Smith & Wesson Academy is America’s longest running firearms training facility for law enforcement, military and security professionals. For more information on Smith & Wesson, call (800) 331-0852 or log on to http://www.smith-wesson.com/. For more information on Thompson/Center Arms, log on to http://www.tcarms.com/.
Media Contact:Matt Rice Blue Heron Communications (800) 654-3766 matt@blueheroncomm.com
The complete line of Smith & Wesson restraints is available at Handcuff Warehouse.
