Southern Wood Preserving is a Southern Yellow Pine wood treating facility located on a 27-acre site near the Hattiesburg Forrest County Industrial Park approximately two miles southeast of Hattiesburg in Forrest County, Mississippi.
In 1983, Roy A. Smith purchased the plant from Timber Realization Corporation, a limited partnership developed by Masonite Corporation to liquidate certain assets. The plant became Southern Wood Preserving of Hattiesburg, Inc. with Roy A. Smith as President. Since 1985 the plant has operated as a 100% CCA operation producing treated utility poles, piling, lumber, posts and plywood with most of the production in utility poles.
In 1989, Southern Wood built a gas-fired lumber dry kiln with a capacity of 80,000 board feet for drying green lumber (KD) and to re-dry treated lumber (KDAT).
In 1990, Southern Wood became the world's first commercial producer of the "E.T." (CCA-C Emulsified Treated) pole, the first utility pole to combine the preservative characteristics provided by CCA treatment with the climbability of an oil treatment. In 2009, the company changed from "E.T. Clear" to "E.T. Brown".
In July 1999, Mark C. Shows became president and sole proprietor of Southern Wood Preserving. All operations remained the same.
In 2006, Southern Wood added a retail lumber yard stocked with lumber treated with CCA-C as well as lumber treated with alternative treatments (MICRO PRO and ACQ). We also stock treated posts and plywood in the retail yard.
In April 2010, Tom L. Henderson was brought in as Plant Manager. Tom has over 19 years of knowledge and experience in the treated wood industry to continue to provide our customers with the best possible products, service and support.
Electric cooperatives throughout the continental U.S. provide our major customer base.
- American Wood Preservers Association
- Mississippi Lumber Manufacturers Association
- Southern Pressure Treaters Association
- National Frame Builders Association
- Treated Wood Council
- Mississippi Manufacturers Association
- Mississippi Building Materials Association