Jason Agee, the founder, owner and operator of Innovative Metal Solutions and Innovative Targets in rural Rutherford County, has developed his brand into a player in the steel target industry. His company produces a variety of target styles for firing ranges, shooting competitions and for the individual gun enthusiast, as well as a wide variety of other metal components.

He has worked on hot rod parts, swinging gates, the large lanterns at World Outreach Church, pieces for Cannonsburgh Village, wheelchair lifts, the skylight and bar fittings at NashHouse Southern Spoon & Saloon, wall hangings and all manner of other steel pieces over the past few years.

Agee decided in 2011 to end his daily commute from Lascassas to the Ford Glass plant in west Nashville and try his own thing.

Innovative Metal Solutions seems like a precise description of his company—Agee takes pride in being innovative, metal is his medium, and he wants those with a challenge to come to him to see if he can create a solution.

“I have a way of looking at things and finding solutions,” he said. “Sometimes, I’m not the right solution,” he added.

But if he can, within his customer’s budget, he’ll take ideas and make them metal.

He started out producing some artwork commissions, and he worked with Cannonsburgh Village on some pieces.

Word of his skill set began to spread, and more and more individuals in search of a particular metal piece came to Agee for a solution. He continued to develop his CAD (computer aided design) knowledge, and gave his plasma table all sorts of instructions, by way of CAD and computer-aided manufacturing, and the code it sends to the automated machine.

Now, Agee has carved out a niche in the steel firearm target manufacturing sector.

Aware of Agee’s metalworking skills and willingness to take on a challenge, some friends encouraged him to make a target in his metal shop.

The metalworker produced his first target, featuring a spring-loaded mechanism to automatically reset the steel plate back to its original position after taking a bullet. He reports that friends visiting him one Memorial Day “had a blast shooting at it.”

Auto reset target pistol, gong stand and ringers by Innovative Targets

He made 10 more, a task that took him two weeks, but his efforts paid off; Agee sold eight of those targets at a gun show he attended. He continued building the target component of his business, and today the Innovative Targets division of his company comprises about 75 percent of Agee’s metal business, he estimates.

In Murfreesboro, Bullseye Gun, Gear & Pawn carries the products, and shooting enthusiasts can also order targets at innovativetargets.net.

Agee’s Dueling Tree design, which features six steel plate targets that pivot from side to side on a steel post, won the 2018 Firearm Industry Choice Award—“The Grammys of the firearms industry,” Agee says—for Target of the Year.

This creative design can offer a target shooting game for two or more shooters. Innovative Targets makes the six plates orange on one side, white on the other. When a bullet strikes a white target on the right side, it swings behind the post, and the orange side appears on the left, and vice versa.

This setup retails at around $500, but for only $15 a target-shooting enthusiast can purchase the Knockover, a simple 5-inch steel plate welded to a small base that falls over upon impact.

For around $100, a shooter can acquire a gong setup, featuring a large, round metal target hung by chains from a sturdy stand, that yields a pleasing report when struck.

A big part of Agee’s marketing plan, and his recreation as well, is his growing involvement in competitive shooting events.

He serves as a range operator and a contestant in various target shooting competitions, and provides sponsorship and targets through Innovative Targets.

The metalworker is even organizing his own event as a competition director—the RockAuto Submachine Gun Championship, coming up in May 2019 in Park City, Kentucky.

Agee welcomes a good challenge, and uses each one to build his knowledge, skills and company. And he had a big one a couple of years ago when his metal shop burned down.

That was a blow, but the insurance money shook out as hoped and allowed Agee to build an even better shop.

Agee’s right-hand man, Daniel Napier, had to leave the company for a time, but since the rebuild, Napier moved closer to the Innovative Metal Solutions shop and came back to work for the business, so now both crew members have a very easy commute to work each day.

Agee discussed the growth of his business with the Pulse.

How did you develop the idea for Innovative Metals and Innovative Targets, and how did the business get its start?

You don’t learn something like welding and metal fabrication totally on your own, but I started by teaching myself, as a hobby.

I was working for Ford Glass as a mechanic, and they needed more welders. They knew I did a little metal work, so I was one of 12 who was put into a welding training program. After six weeks of shielded metal arc welding training, I was the one who got the job as a welder.

I grew my business on the side—I bought a CNC [Computer Numerical Control] plasma table and started teaching myself CAD—and finally said, “I’ve had enough” [of corporate employment].

The target thing fell into my lap. . . . I like to shoot with my buddies.

I’m not the only steel target manufacturer, but I’m trying to do it better for a more affordable acquisition price, and all of our targets are my own design.

Metal shelf by Innovative Metal Solutions

What’s your favorite part of running your business?

Being out there welding; putting my signature on something.

I don’t think there’s enough people in my line of work taking pride in what they do.

What’s your least favorite part?

Paying bills, office work. I’d rather be out there in the shop.

What businesses and people were a help and inspiration for you?

First Tennessee Bank was key. There were some people there who helped get me the accounts, credit and things that a business needs to operate.

I work with some other local metal workers: Bryan, Bart, Johnny. Sometimes I’m not the right solution for someone, and I’ll send them to someone else. They’ll refer jobs to me too.

I still watch some other guys on YouTube to learn more, and listen to welding podcasts.

What is your advice for small business owners?

If you want it, you have to go after it. You can’t quit.

How are you getting the word out about your business?

It’s almost all word of mouth.

Clark Iron & Metal and Airgas send me a lot of referrals.

Social media and the website; we’re about to overhaul the website.

Supporting the sport of competitive shooting and being involved in tournaments.

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For more information on Innovative Metal Solutions and Innovative Targets, based in Rutherford County, Tennessee, visit innovativemetals.net and innovativetargets.net. Find a stock of some of the targets at Bullseye Gun, Gear & Pawn, 130 Shelby St.