White Flyer expands its Starke County clay pigeon plant in Knox

By Terry Turner, Post-Tribune correspondent

KNOX — White Flyer is expanding its new plant in Knox Industrial Park before it even begins full production there.

Tim Gunter, plant manager of Reagent Chemical and Research Inc.’s White Flyer facility in Knox, recently received approval for a tax abatement from the Knox City Council.

The abatement will aid the company — which manufactures clay sporting pigeons, targets for gun enthusiasts — in building a 50,000-square-foot addition to its existing facility.

Gunter said White Flyer has completed construction and rehabilitation of its current building, and has a pre-production staff of 18 employees now working at the plant.

Reagent, of which White Flyer is a subsidiary, has installed about $1.1 million worth of new equipment during the plant renovation.

The first production line should get under way by April 24.

A second production line will be installed and operating by October.

The addition will be used to help store finished product after these two lines begin producing thousands of clay pigeons 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Gunter told the Knox Council that since a competitor, Remington, has pulled out of the clay pigeon business, the company’s demand has increased substantially.

White Flyer is located in the former Custom Form building.