Sig Sauer, the maker of firearms, announced that it had laid off an unspecified number of employees. The company, based in Newington, NH, cited a decline in gun sales after record-high sales in prior years.

Sig Sauer said in a statement, “The firearms market has begun to cool from the record highs experienced over the past couple of years. Additional resources, including new employees, were brought on to help meet this spike in demand. Now that sales have began to return to normal, an adjustment in staff numbers is needed to maintain an efficient and cost-effective workflow.

“Additionally, enhanced productivity and efficiency at the company’s new Newington, New Hampshire, manufacturing facility has made certain positions redundant or no longer needed. In order to maintain quality and control costs, an adjustment in staffing levels is required.

“These difficult, but necessary, measures will allow Sig Sauer to continue to deliver innovative, high-quality firearms to its customers. As Sig Sauer continues to grow into new business categories, including ammunition and accessory products, these market-driven decisions will play a significant role.
 announced Tuesday that it has laid off an unspecified number of employees.”

In September, Sig Sauer's vice president of marketing, Bud Fini, announced that the gun maker had recently moved the bulk of its operations into the 206,000-square-foot building at 72 Pease Blvd. Fini said the company had grown from 75 employees in 2004 to an expected 900 people by the end of 2013.