This post is part of an ongoing series of manufacturer profiles. The blogs will cover some of the many big names in manufacturing in the state of Nebraska. Check back later for more posts in the series. To see previous posts in the series, see here: BD and Kawasaki. 

We’ve already covered two big names in manufacturing in Nebraska: BD and Kawasaki.

So we can check medical products and powersports equipment off of the list of things made here in the Midwest. And just adding to the diversity of products made here in-state is ammunition maker  Manufacturing.

Starting as a two-man operation in Lincoln, Nebraska in 1949, Hornady now is based in Grand Island, Nebraska and employs over 300 people, from hunters and competitive shooters, to veterans and former law enforcement officers.

A little more on the of Hornady: Hornady’s founder, Joyce Hornady, grew up as an avid shooter and hunter, much like many other Nebraskans (even to this day). But after his time in WWII, Joyce was unsatisfied with the ammunition available on the market, and decided to take matters into his own hands.

Joyce became an expert in bullet- and ammunition-making, and moved from Lincoln to the new 8,000 square-foot facility in Grand Island in 1958 as the company expanded. After Joyce was killed in a plane crash in 1981, Joyce’s son Steve became president of Hornady, leading them to where they are today, with over 300 employees and over 108,000 square feet of factory space.

Hornady’s factory is another great example of a state-of-the-art manufacturer–one that’s home right here in Nebraska. From making dies for seating bullets into casings, to making all their own tooling, to casting lead bullets and making brass casings, Hornady does everything in-house. While much of their production process uses state-of-the-art machinery, many of the are based upon the same ones first used by Joyce back in Lincoln after WWII.

Hornady is just another great example of a good manufacturing company rooted here in Nebraska. Their company continues to expand and we’re glad they still call Nebraska home.

For more information on Hornady’s history, see the video below:

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photo credit: via