The Kilgore Manufacturing Company was started in 1912 by Joseph D. Kilgore in Homestead, Pennsylvania to manufacture small cast iron cap pistols and mechanical toys. In 1918, Kilgore moved its operation to Westerville, Ohio. At one time, Kilgore was the largest toy cap pistol maker in the United States. Kilgore expanded its product line in 1929 with the establishment of the International Flare-Signal Division in Tippecanoe City, Ohio. During World War II, Kilgore became very active in the manufacturing of munitions and pyrotechnic devices. The Westerville plant had a north and south side that was separated by a main highway. The north plant was engaged in the manufacture of toy guns and caps. The south plant was used to manufacture items for…show more content… The company joined with Harvell Corporation owned by Commercial Credit. Harvell Corporation manufactured household products. The Bolivar location produced model cap firearms and household products. The Toone location produced caps and pyrotechnics. The company operated as Harvell-Kilgore until Commercial Credit sold the company to a Memphis, TN company named American Snuff Company whose name later changed to the Conwood Corporation. Conwood Corporation made a strategic business decision to change the name from Harvell-Kilgore to Kilgore Manufacturing and to close the Bolivar location. This decision was based on reduced sales in the household product line. Kilgore Manufacturing was purchased by Allegany International in 1981. In 1985, Kilgore Manufacturing ceased the cap gun product line. The cap business was sold to a New York company in 1991. Kilgore was purchased by Chemring Group PLC located in Britain in 2001. As a subsidiary of the Chemring Group Company, Kilgore’s name changed to Kilgore Flares Company which is its current name (Davis Jr.,…show more content… The products produced by Kilgore include air, naval and smoke markers. The technology services offered by Kilgore include research and development, drawings, designs, specifications and product development and testing. Kilgore Flares is a top vendor for the world’s most sophisticated infrared decoy flares. The company’s ability to produce advanced military equipment is credited to its automated system. In 2012, the U.S. Army awarded Kilgore with forty three million dollars for expandable countermeasures orders. Kilgore’s most recent major initiative is the Department of Defence award of more than ten million dollars for U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force flare orders in November 2014, (Kilgore, n.d.).
In November 2014, Chemring Group PLC announced the award of an IDIQ contract from the Department of Defense. An IDIQ is an indefinite amount of service provided for a specified period of time. The award is a three year IDIQ for Rock Island U.S. Army and Air Force. Kilgore Flares was awarded a $10.5 million contract for M206, MJU-10, and MJU-7 infrared decoy flares (IR Flares). The IR Flares play a major role in protecting aircraft and fighters from missile guided terrorizations. Kilgore Flares in Toone, TN will be the sole producers of the IR Flares (Fleitz,
