Daniels Mfg history

In 1966, the board of directors decided to change the name of the company to Daniel Industries, Inc., in order to reflect the growing diversity of its product line and services.

In 1971 it purchased Corn Sweeteners, Inc., producer of high-fructose syrups, glutens, oil, and caramel color.

Another division, the Columbian Peanut Company, acquired in 1981, produced oil and peanut products, and Archer-Daniels-Midland was the leading domestic peanut sheller.

The scheme first came to light in 1995 when Mark E. Whitacre, a whistleblower for the FBI, was fired by ADM from his position as head of its BioProducts division for allegedly embezzling millions of dollars from the company.

In early 1996, the company purchased the Oilfield Fabricating & Machine Company and later in the year entered into an agreement with Framo Engineering AS of Norway to market and sell the Norwegian firm's highly innovative multiphase flow metering system.

Many of these deals occurred after G. Allen Andreas, nephew of Dwayne Andreas, was named CEO in April 1997.

By late 1998 the company had paid nearly another $100 million to settle lawsuits brought by customers and investors.

In 2001, Marty attended the Knob Creek machine gun shoot in West Point, Kentucky, where he displayed his first sling loop.

In 2002, Marty learned that his 12-inch rail systems had made their way onto the competition and designated marksman rifles used by the United States Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU) at Fort Benning, Georgia.

In January of 2003, Marty participated in the company’s first SHOT Show, the firearm industry’s largest trade show, where manufacturers come together to introduce and promote their wares.

Marty developed and submitted prototypes, relying on sales of the original M4 rail system and sling loops to carry the company through 2004, when the contract was awarded to Daniel Defense, the lone David amongst a slew of Goliath competitors.

Daniel Defense once again emerged as the victor of the competition for this SOCOM contract in 2005.

In 2007, Marty learned of a design solicitation in the works by the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) to update the standard-issue SA80/L85A1 infantry rifle.

In 2008, Daniel Defense won the UK solicitation and began immediate production and on-time delivery of L85 rails.

The USAMU would continue to rely on Marty’s first rail system until 2009.

In 2010, Daniel Defense branched out into the hunting market under the brand name Ambush Firearms.

Today, Marty sits on Georgia Southern Engineering School’s board of advisors, and in 2014 he worked with then Governor Nathan Deal to establish the school’s Manufacturing Engineering Degree Program.

“You might think we’re a 150-year-old company, but in reality, we’re only 15 years old,” Marty Daniel said in 2016.

In autumn of 2017, construction of Daniel Defense’s new 300,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art manufacturing facility was completed.