SUMMERTOWN, Just across the county line in Lawrence County, a Tennessee-grown business is making a significant vote of confidence in Southern Middle Tennessee's workforce. Old South Wood Preserving, a lumber manufacturer and wholesaler based in Summertown, announced this week that it will invest $1.3 million to expand its operations and create 20 new jobs, in a deal announced alongside Gov. Bill Lee and state Economic and Community Development Commissioner Stuart C. McWhorter.
The company opened in 2021 with just five employees and has since grown to more than 60. The expansion will build on existing facilities that already include office space, a treatment plant, a planer mill, a post mill, a kiln, and lumber storage barns. General Manager Mark Jent said the investment reflects gratitude to the state and local partners who supported the company from the beginning, and a commitment to continuing to grow the operation and the opportunities it provides in the region.
Gov. Lee called Old South Wood Preserving an example of the strength of Tennessee's homegrown business community, and praised the company's commitment to quality jobs for Tennesseans. Commissioner McWhorter noted the state had supported the company at its launch and was pleased to see it expanding again so soon.
While Lawrence County is a separate jurisdiction from Maury County, the economic geography of Southern Middle Tennessee is deeply interconnected. Workers commute across these county lines daily, and a strengthening job market in Lawrence County contributes to the broader regional economy that Maury County families participate in. The timber and wood products industry has deep roots in this part of Tennessee, and an expanding, homegrown operation that pays living wages is good news for the whole area.