When Dan Powers left his role as President of SIG SAUER’s ammunition division, he didn’t intend to rest on his laurels.
Calls poured in from private companies and governments worldwide, asking for his help to improve their ammunition facilities or build entirely new ones. Recognizing an underserved niche in the ammunition manufacturing industry, Dan saw an opportunity to make a difference. By 2018, his vision became reality with the founding of D&M Holding Company.
“I started receiving calls from all over the world,” Dan recalled. “Private companies and governments were asking me to help improve their current ammunition facilities or build new ones for them. We saw an opportunity to fill the gap.”
D&M Holding Company, with headquarters in Tampa, Florida, and state-of-the-art facilities in Cabot, Arkansas, has since become synonymous with innovation and reliability. The company designs and delivers complete turnkey solutions for ammunition factories, specializing in small-caliber ammunition, primers, and propellants.
A Global Legacy Built on Expertise
Dan’s experience with SIG SAUER taught him how to build from the ground up. “Ron Cohen gave me a blank piece of paper and allowed me free rein. My team and I decided how to be most efficient in rolling out an entirely new ammunition division,” he explained. That experience shaped D&M’s approach to factory design, allowing the company to create solutions tailored to the unique needs of each client.
One of D&M’s defining moments came with its work in Ukraine. After winning a competitive contract to build a modern ammunition factory for the Ukrainian government—replacing one lost in 2014—the project faced unprecedented challenges. When the U.S. government ordered D&M’s team to leave Ukraine ahead of Russia’s 2022 invasion, Dan refused to give up.
“We were on one of the last planes out of Kyiv before Russia invaded,” said James Jones, D&M’s Vice President of Business Development.
Once the Russian advance stalled, Dan led a team of volunteers back into Ukraine to finish the factory. “Against U.S. government advice, …we quietly across the border and finished commissioning the factory,” Dan said.
Today, that facility produces ammunition 24/7 for Ukraine’s Armed Forces, standing as a testament to D&M’s determination and expertise.
D&M Owns Factories & Companies in:
- Tampa, Florida
- Cabot, Arkansas
- Des Arc, Arkansas
- Salem, Indiana
- Warsaw, Poland
D&M Projects in the United States
Palmetto State Armory – AAC (AAC – American Ammunition Company)
- Based in Columbia, SC
- D&M built AAC’s primer and ammunition factory – Jan 21- Fall 2024
- AAC manufactures 350 – 450 million rounds pistol and rifle ammo annually, which are sold direct to consumer.
This is the largest new ammo factory in the United States (300,000 sq ft building and 150,000 sq ft of that is being used to actively make ammo with room for expansion.)
Grind Hard Ammunition – D&M built facility (finished in Dec 2022)
- Based in Stuart, FL
- 80 million rounds – specialty rounds direct to consumer
- D&M is now building a primer line for Grind Hard (Q2 2025 completion)
Longhorn Ammunition – (owned by owners of Staccato firearms)
- D&M built ammunition line (finished in 2023)
- Based in Florence, Texas
- Longhorn makes 9mm ammunition
Live Inventory Price Checker
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AAC 6.5 Grendel Ammo 123 FMJ Ammo 200rds With AAC Blue 30 Cal Ammo Can | Palmetto State Armory | $ 149.99 |
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AAC 6.5 Grendel Ammo 123 FMJ Ammo 200rds With AAC Blue 30 Cal Ammo Can | Palmetto State Armory | $ 149.99 |
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Elite Performance Match Ammo 300 Aac Blackout 125gr Otm - 300 Aac Blackout 125gr Supersonic Otm 20/Box | Brownells.com | $ 26.99 |
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Ammo Inc StelTH 300 AAC Blackout 220gr TMJ Rifle Ammo - 20 Rounds | Sportsman's Warehouse | $ 25.99 |
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Tackling Global Shortages
Dan’s leadership has driven D&M to address some of the industry’s most pressing issues. One of the most ambitious projects is underway at White River Energetics (WRE), a D&M subsidiary in Des Arc, Arkansas. WRE is building the first single-base propellant factory in the U.S. in over 50 years. The expansion, a $70 million investment, will also increase WRE’s primer production from 800 million to 1.4 billion annually.
“We wanted to make the most automated and safest primer facility in the world,” Dan said, describing WRE’s innovative systems where “all reactions happen without a person in the room.” This automation ensures safety while maintaining efficiency, a hallmark of D&M’s approach.
Live Inventory Price Checker
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Premium Gold Medal Small Pistol Primers - .100 Small Pistol Primers 1,000/Box | Brownells.com | $ 99.99 $ 89.99 |
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CCI No. 500 Small Pistol Primers - 100 Count - Small Pistol | Sportsman's Warehouse | $ 8.99 |
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FIO 445SMP SMALL PISTOL PRIMER 1500/8 | BattleHawk Armory | $ 103.86 |
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1 1/2 Small Pistol Primer (100 | Midsouth Shooters Supply | $ 84.99 |
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A Team That Shares the Vision
Dan has built a team of industry veterans who share his passion for innovation and quality.
“He never asks us to bend to what he wants; he just asks what we need to succeed, gives it to us, and lets us be creative,” said BJ Rogers, D&M’s Vice President of Operations.
Among the team is Don Pile, a renowned primer chemist with multiple patents, and Jason Lawhon, an expert in propellant manufacturing with over 30 years of experience. Their expertise enables D&M to develop cutting-edge solutions for clients, from NATO-aligned governments to commercial partners.
Looking Forward
With an expanding workforce, new facilities, and groundbreaking innovations, D&M is shaping the future of ammunition manufacturing.
“We are engaging with the U.S. government and other friendly nations on multiple projects,” D&M said. “D&M is currently building propellant, primer, and ammunition facilities all over the world, with numerous new contracts pending.”
Dan Powers’ journey from SIG SAUER to leading D&M Holding Company reflects his ability to identify opportunities, overcome challenges, and create lasting solutions. His story—and the company he built—demonstrate how vision, expertise, and determination can transform an industry.
“We are the only company in the industry that offers solutions for all ammunition components, including ammunition factories, primer factories, and propellant factories,” Dan said proudly.
And with his leadership, D&M Holding Company and White River Energetics are just getting started.
Trump needs to use the power of the Department of Defense to rebuild our domestic chemical industry. Nitrocellulose and other critical chemicals used in the manufacture of ammunition are in short supply and those sources of supply are often held in hostile hands. Do the same he did to make the Covid vaccines.
Disappointing that he takes pride in having helped prop up the Biden/Zellenskyy regime in that corrupt country.