Fabrique Nationale Herstal (FN) is a global arms manufacturer with a legacy spanning over a century. Its international operations are anchored in two distinct geographical regions, establishing a dual presence that manages worldwide production and sales. This structure places the organization’s historic roots and global headquarters in Belgium while maintaining a substantial manufacturing and corporate footprint within the United States. This framework allows FN to serve defense, law enforcement, and commercial customers across the globe.
What is FN Herstal?
FN Herstal, a Belgian company, designs and produces small arms, ammunition, and weapon systems. It operates under the FN Browning Group, which is wholly owned by the regional government of Wallonia, Belgium. This ownership structure gives the organization a unique public-private status.
FN Herstal focuses on the military and law enforcement sectors, providing weapons like the SCAR rifle series, the P90 submachine gun, and various machine guns. The FN Browning Group also functions as a parent company for subsidiaries, including the Browning Arms Company and the US Repeating Arms Company, which markets the Winchester brand for commercial shooting markets.
The Global Headquarters in Belgium
The foundational and administrative center is situated in Herstal, near the city of Liège in Belgium. This location serves as the global headquarters, managing strategic direction, international sales, and corporate governance for the worldwide group. The facility acts as the primary hub for the company’s advanced technical functions.
The Belgian site is the center for all research and development activities, where engineers design firearms and integrated weapon systems. High-end, precision manufacturing of specialized weapons and components continues here. By keeping advanced design and core manufacturing in Herstal, the company maintains control over quality standards and technological innovations.
Manufacturing and Operations in the United States
To serve the North American market, especially the requirements of the US Department of Defense, FN Herstal established the subsidiary FN America, LLC. This division has distinct corporate and manufacturing locations to maximize efficiency and regulatory compliance. Corporate functions, including sales and marketing for the US market, are headquartered in McLean, Virginia.
Core manufacturing operations are concentrated in Columbia, South Carolina, where the company operates a production facility. This plant manufactures firearms, including the M4/M4A1 carbines and the M249 and M240 machine guns, under contracts for the US military. Establishing this local base is necessary to comply with the “Buy American Act,” which mandates domestic production of defense equipment.
Historical Significance of the Herstal Location
Herstal, Belgium, was selected as the company’s birthplace in 1889 due to the region’s long-standing industrial history. Herstal is situated within the Liège industrial basin, which had been a center for metalworking and arms production for centuries, fostering skilled labor and metallurgical expertise.
The company was initially formed as Fabrique Nationale d’Armes de Guerre by a consortium of smaller, local arms makers. They united to fulfill a contract from the Belgian government for 150,000 Mauser Model 89 rifles. This collective effort solidified Herstal’s role as a modern arms manufacturing powerhouse.
Global Reach and Distribution
While Belgium and the United States house the primary manufacturing and corporate centers, FN’s market presence extends globally through a distribution network. The organization maintains international offices and production sites in several other nations, including the United Kingdom, Portugal, and Finland, ensuring proximity to key markets. These secondary locations often focus on specific product lines, such as optoelectronic components, or serve as regional sales and support hubs.
FN engages in significant export activity, with its products utilized by the armed forces of over 100 nations. This global reach is managed through international sales offices and distribution partners that handle commercial and government contracts. FN also utilizes licensing agreements, allowing foreign manufacturers to produce certain weapon designs domestically, such as in Indonesia.