Sandy's Soapbox

February 2009

I apologize for my absence last month.  Like many of you, I tend to become distracted during the holidays.

Today is Monday January 19th, the day following SHOT '09, the firearms industry's preeminent trade show, and the day before the presidential inauguration.  Most of the exhibitors at SHOT to whom I spoke felt that it was a reasonably successful show, although Orlando regularly produces lighter attendance than those shows held in Las Vegas.  Consensus was, however, that the quality of the attendees was still high, and that "guests" of dealers and other peripheral types of people tend to inflate the Vegas numbers.

 
Most in the industry (like us at NAA) are enjoying very robust business due in large part to two reasons I've spoken about earlier; one is the sense of anxiety that many gun owners feel about the anticipated anti-gun agenda of the new administration, which is prompting them to make purchases of items they feel may not be long available in the retail market.  Tactical weapons in particularly are in high demand.  Another reason is the general sense of angst, anxiety, anger, fear, uncertainty, etc. that many feel about their /our economic future.  As I’ve said before, an unsettled society tends not to be a polite society, which sense contributes to the activity in the concealed carry/personal protection market.

The weak economy notwithstanding, sales of firearms is among the very few categories that has not seen a sales decline.  Indeed, it's not been since the confluence of events - the inauguration of the Clinton administration and the anarchy which surrounded the Rodney King tragedy some 15+ years ago - that firearms sales have been so strong.  Having enjoyed, and then suffered through, this steep sales cycle before, I keep nervously glancing over both shoulders, looking for a chair so that I will have a seat when the music stops, as it inevitably will.  This market frenzy will not last forever.  Fittingly, in Orlando, it feels like Mr. Toad's Wild Ride.

Consensus is that the priorities of the incoming administration do not include gun issues.  Even the most virulent of antigunners would have to admit that there are a whole host of problems that require our government's time and attention before guns float to the top of the pile, but when they do - as the NRA cautions/guarantees us that they certainly will - a reintroduction of the "assault weapons" ban is a safe bet (see tactical weapons, above).  Given the quantifiable effectiveness of concealed carry, it's our sense that this market is one of the less threatened segments.  Notwithstanding we will not let our guard down.

Over the past year, NAA has invested well in excess of a million dollars in new machine tools and other resources, which has had several beneficial effects.

·         It has enabled us to increase our output of product in an effort to better address the strong demand we're enjoying.

·         It enables us to control and increase the quality of our product; people have rightly come to expect near-perfect quality and flawless reliability in NAA products, which we pursue and attempt to improve upon every day.

·         It enables us to better maintain a consistent flow of product by relying less on the performance and delivery of others.

We're flattered by the demand that exists for our firearms and are committed to meet it and the needs of our customers.  In the meantime, we greatly appreciate the patience of those not yet satisfied; I assure you that you will feel the wait has been well worthwhile.

It's now inauguration day.  Swaying palm trees have been replaced by snow-covered pines here in suburban Philadelphia.  Like millions of others, while I'm troubled by the prospect of many of the difficult challenges we expect to face in 2009, I'm buoyed by a sense of hope that accompanies the promise of change which has been made to us all.  I belatedly wish you all a Happy New Year and the wish that this will be one of our best years ever.