In 2016, Kilgore Flares, a respected Tennessee manufacturing company within Chemring Countermeasures USA, selected inSITE Advisory Group to manage its multi-state site selection and incentive procurement process for its headquarters and manufacturing campus.The objective was to identify a site suitable for the firm’s imminent expansion. Kilgore produces defense countermeasures for the U.S. military.

The project required a competitive funding strategy that included grants, tax incentives, utility and infrastructure planning and job training programs.The inSITE team began by assessing the company’s needs and developing an economic development roadmap to support its expansion plans.Initially, ten states were identified as potential locations. A detailed study of incentives, programs, climate and available land narrowed the list to four. Other key considerations the inSITE team took into account were right to work status, tax credits, available grants and tax structure.

Confidential information requests were sent to appropriate agencies in the states that made the final list.

inSITE analyzed the data collected which included land cost and availability, skilled and non-skilled workforce, local training facilities, highway proximity, buffer areas, zoning, permitting and construction and equipment costs. The states were then asked to submit their “best fits” as well as incentives they were willing to offer.

From there, the list was narrowed to the top two and meetings were scheduled and conducted with the city and state officials to negotiate final incentives and economic development packages.

Not surprisingly, retaining an estimated workforce of close to 400 was motivation enough for Tennessee and the city of Toone, Kilgore’s existing location, to deliver a $16.9 million incentive package and convince the company to stay home.

According to Tank Williams, past president of Kilgore Flares, inSITE went above and beyond. “inSITE did anything and everything to get the job done. There was a chemistry from the beginning that made me feel like we were the only business they were working for. They did their job so we could focus on ours. We trusted them from the beginning.”