Automatic Weapons Company, a division of Antares Technologies, Inc., was founded in 1976 in Albuquerque, NM by Philip Dater MD, as a designer and producer of firearms sound suppressors. By 1983, the company had grown beyond the founder's ability to produce product. At that time, designs and manufacturing were licensed to what became AWC Systems Technology. Automatic Weapons Company continued performing research and development in sound suppressor design. 

In 1991, Dr. Dater relocated the company to Boise, ID and retired from the practice of medicine to devote full energy to the production of innovative, high efficiency, user friendly sound suppressors for both the civilian and law enforcement community. Automatic Weapons Company and AWC Systems Technology are separate and unrelated entities. JR Customs Company was founded in 1989 by Jim Ryan and Mark Weiss in Selah, WA. Ryan and Weiss have subsequently left Gemtech  to concentrate on custom rifles. 

GSL Technology, Inc. was founded in Jackson, MI in 1983 by Gregory S. Latka to produce firearm silencer designs based on research and development from a 29 year history in the aerospace manufacturing industry. The company has extensive CNC manufacturing experience, including with exotic materials.

Gemtech employs services offered by a number of independent consultants, all of whom have been chosen for their specific areas of expertise.