A 10,000 sq. ft. expansion should be ready for Top Flight to use by late August, yet another reflection of a booming ag sector’s ripple effect on the local economy.

General Manager Chris Schaffert reported this week that the outer shell of the expansion to the north of the Industrial Park facility is all but finished. Overhead doors were scheduled for installation this week, which means the extra space will be available soon.

"We just needed additional space," Schaffert explained. "It will be more of a warehouse at this time for finished goods and raw materials. We also need some work area for specializing in what the customer wants."

Top Flite and its sister company, Replacement Flighting Supply (RFS), have been growing steadily since launching from a shoestring staff and budget in 1980. A crew of 11 produces stacks upon stacks of twisted steel -- approximately 25 tons per day -- with the bulk of it headed for ag-related machinery.

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