Oct. 23, 2020

A homegrown business that specializes in managing the process of buying a silencer for firearms is building a large headquarters.

Silencer Central, which changed its name from Dakota Silencer last year, began in 2005 and has seen rapid growth this year after becoming registered in 42 states where silencers, or firearm sound suppressors, are lawful.

Now, customers in those states can work through the process online, including doing fingerprints at home, handling paperwork, receiving interest-free payments and free shipping to their homes.

“2020 has been amazing,” founder Brandon Maddox said. “If anything, I think we benefited because people are staying home. It’s contactless, and people can buy on our website and do the paperwork digitally and have it sent to their front door.”

In the past, the business mostly sold through conventions and other events. It started getting accepted to some of the larger events, and the business model evolved.

“We were only licensed in 12 states, and October of 2019 is when we turned the heat on and applied for licenses in every state that silencers are legal,” Maddox said.

That meant finding locations in every state and “tons of lawyers and negotiations” with “no guarantee this would work,” he said.

But business has taken off so much that Silencer Central’s buildings in south Sioux Falls and Harrisburg aren’t big enough.

It bought 6 acres in the Bakker Landing development in Tea, where the plan is to combine the office operations with a warehouse and machine shop for barrel-threading operations.

The state of South Dakota supported the project with a $3.3 million Revolving Economic Development and Initiative fund loan.

“This is a highly visible development along I-29, and several quality businesses have already established themselves in the area,” Tea Mayor John Lawler said in a statement. “The addition of Silencer Central will add more employment opportunities and encourage other businesses to consider Tea as they decide to expand and grow.”

Maddox credits support from Lawler for his move and helping him work through options along the way.

“John has been excellent, very supportive,” he said.

Maddox said he likes the exposure from the interstate and that the site has room to grow. The goal is to accommodate 100 people in the new 30,000-square-foot building. Right now, there are about 100 employees total nationwide, with about 35 full time in the Sioux Falls area.

“I’m recruiting people from other states,” he said, adding most of the jobs are related to scaling up the business, including human resources, accounting, marketing, business development and customer service.

“We don’t really have any low-paying jobs,” Maddox said. “(In sales) we pay a really good commission, so we’re able to recruit a lot of people.”

Design is moving forward on the new headquarters, with construction scheduled to start this spring so the business can move in next fall.

The move is a benefit for the entire region, added Jesse Fonkert, executive director of the Lincoln County Economic Development Association.

“Working with Brandon the last few months to find a site has been an exciting adventure,” Fonkert said. “I’ve learned from him every step of the way and have come to respect his business acumen. The city of Tea is fortunate to have an entrepreneur like Brandon build his headquarters in their community.”