Bushmaster Acquires Cobb Manufacturing
August 20, 2007 - Windham, Maine: Bushmaster Firearms International, LLC announced today that it has completed a transaction to acquire the assets of Cobb Manufacturing, Inc., a Georgia-based developer and producer of Tactical Rifles currently available in .308, 30-06, .338 Lapua Magnum and .50 BMG calibers. In addition, Cobb’s founder and President, Skip Patel, has been named Executive Vice President of Research & Development for BFI.
Cobb, a Dallas, Georgia-based company, has been recognized for it’s innovative, out of the box approach to tactical platforms. Cobb’s innovations include its acclaimed patent pending Multi-Caliber Rifle semi-auto system (MCR) and expertise in large bore bolt action rifles. Cobb’s products are currently fielded with a number of Law enforcement agencies and militaries worldwide.
According to Chad Brooks, CEO of Bushmaster, "Adding .308, .338 Lapua Magnum, 30-06 and .50 BMG rifles to Bushmaster’s product offerings further establishes our foothold in the tactical rifle market, and provides platforms for future growth both in the U.S. and Global Law Enforcement and Military markets." Added Brooks, "Additionally, the opportunity to add Skip Patel to our management team and lead us in our R&D efforts, was critical as we begin to aggressively expand our products to further meet the demands of today’s various global customers ."
The current Cobb rifle lineup will be refined and re-branded with the Bushmaster snake, and will be produced out of Bushmaster’s Windham, Maine Facility. As part of the transaction, Bushmaster has also established a rapid prototype and R&D manufacturing facility in Georgia, where next generation products will be developed. The facility will maintain emphasis on Bushmasters new product pipeline for Commercial, Law Enforcement and Military tailored products.
Added Skip Patel, "The chance to join the Bushmaster family and see the Cobb products gain access to Bushmaster’s renowned attention to quality and volume production, gives me great confidence in our future. My new position will allow me to focus on outside of the box ideas and address the needs of today’s shooters across all market segments. Our rapid prototype facility in conjunction with the Bushmaster Custom Shop is a very exciting proposition".