American Outdoor Brands Corporation, a leading provider of quality products for shooting, hunting, and rugged outdoor enthusiasts, reported the company plans to “potentially establish” a national distribution center in the Columbia area of Boone County, Missouri.

Under the plans, the company would break ground on the new 500,000 sq. ft. facility in the next several months. “The company's plans to establish the new facility in Boone County are contingent upon the approval of incentives, completion of due diligence, and the finalization of agreements related to other terms and conditions,” officials said.

If all contingency requirements are met, construction for the new site is expected to begin this spring and would take approximately 18 months to complete. When complete, it is expected that the center would serve as the central distribution facility for most of American Outdoor Brands' products, allowing the company to harvest synergies from its acquisitions and more efficiently serve its customers.

The company said it is working closely with Missouri Department of Economic Development, Regional Economic Development, Inc., and Boone County on the development of the project.

James Debney, President & CEO of American Outdoor Brands, said, "We continue to focus on our vision of being a leading provider of high quality products for the shooting, hunting, and rugged outdoor enthusiast."

“By executing our strategy and delivering growth organically and through targeted acquisitions, we have successfully grown to multiple operating divisions that serve a large addressable market and represent more than 18 respected consumer brands. Establishing a national distribution center will allow us, over time, to harvest synergies across our business. Our meetings with representatives of Missouri and Governor Greitens demonstrated that they are business-friendly and understand what we need as a company to be successful,” he added.