Martin Archery to carry on after blaze

July 10--Count Martin Archery as down but not out.

The president of the world-famous Walla Walla bow-making firm said the company still has a healthy future after a fire Wednesday night ravaged the 17,000-square-foot machine shop where the bows are manufactured, painted and treated.

"While it will temporarily impact current production, it will not impact our future business, especially our much anticipated 2016 product line," Martin Archery President Tracy Reiff said in a prepared statement sent through the company's California marketing firm this morning.

He said the company has been "overwhelmed with the support our community has shown Martin Archery in the wake of the factory fire ...."

A cause of the 9:21 p.m. blaze that lit up the night sky with roaring flames at 3134 Heritage Road remained under investigation this morning. At least nine fire crews provided aid on what not only destroyed the machine shop but threatened the operations 40,000-square-foot office and storage front-facing building, plus surrounding wheat fields. A nearby residence, about 30 feet east of the machine shop, had about $10,000 damage.

Insurance adjusters were in town today, said Jim Kuntz, executive director of the Port of Walla Walla, which owns the property.

He didn't have further information on a timeline for a rebuild this morning.

The Port purchased the property in a $1.3 million retention move to save the failing business in 2013.

The one-time worldwide leader in bow manufacturing, built from the ground up on the shoulders of the late Archery Hall-of-Famer Gail Martin, had languished in recent years under a mounting tower of debt.

By October 2013, when the Port brokered a deal with California-based investment firm Diversis Capital to revive the business, only six or seven employees remained. Mostly they were pulling existing stock from the shelves to fill orders. No manufacturing was going on, officials said at the time.

In less than two years, the plant, which continued to operate under the name Martin Archery, not only shot back up to nearly 60 employees, it had also begun to restore its name with new accounts and continued product placement in Hollywood films, such as the "Hunger Games" franchise.

The company reportedly intends to make yet another comeback as the 2016 lineup is prepared for debut, Reiff said.

"We at Martin Archery are dedicated to providing our loyal customer base with the highest level of service, and we appreciate your patience during this critical period as we ramp up to the quality and innovation thresholds that our customers expect and deserve."

Union-Bulletin reporter Stephanie Tshappat contributed to this report.

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