press release - May 11, 2006 - Knox, Indiana
Two groundbreaking ceremonies announced
Wednesday, May 24, 2006 is another day of Celebration of Success in Starke County with groundbreaking events scheduled at two new industries. The Starke County Development Foundation is hosting two groundbreaking ceremonies on the 24th. Ceremonies will be held at Toll Integrated Systems at 1805 W. Pacific Avenue in the Knox Industrial Park at 11:00 a.m. CDT, followed by the same ceremony at White Flyer, 317 Kloeckner Drive in the Knox Industrial Park at 11:30 a.m. CDT. The public is invited and encouraged to join the celebration.
Toll Integrated Systems, which is a subsidiary of Toll Brothers, a Fortune 500 Company and America's premier luxury homebuilder with developments in 23 states, is investing in the Midwest. The plant in Knox is to initially supply Michigan, Illinois, and Minnesota with custom-designed housing. The local plant, the firm's third, will include a separate truck maintenance facility and a lumber warehouse. Toll Brothers is expected to employ 210 workers within two years. The groundbreaking is being held as construction is ongoing.
The White Flyer Division of Reagent Chemical and Research, Inc., a family business, is the world's largest manufacturer of clay pigeons and are used for sport and by the U.S. Military for training purposes. The Knox plant is the fourth clay target facility. Reagent Chemical and Research employs 450 people nationwide and plans to employ 40 persons in Starke County. As White Flyer is just now completing the construction of its original production line, they have announced plans to double the size of their facility so they can have three full production lines, plus shipping and receiving.
According to Charles Weaver, Executive Director of the Starke County Development Foundation, "these groundbreaking events are a part of a long list of accomplishments by the Starke County Development Foundation in the last year. These include SYSCO Corporation's announcement of its intent to build a large re-distribution center in Hamlet, J.W. Hicks expansion in Knox, NorAm Plastics new facility in Knox, Sabre Manufacturing's start-up company in the former General Woodworkers facility, Hoosier Custom Plastics successful start-up company, Callison's acquisition of additional warehouse space for mint production, Medallion Cabinetry's location in Culver and Knox Fertilizer Company's new warehouse constructed by the Starke County Development Foundation. The Starke County Development Foundation is pleased with the Era of Good Fortune in Starke County."