Great Southern Wood Preserving

What Great Southern Wood Preserving does

Great Southern Wood Preserving, Incorporated is a privately held, family-owned U.S. manufacturer of pressure-treated lumber, founded in 1970 by Jimmy Rane in Abbeville, Alabama, and operating under the consumer-facing YellaWood brand. The company runs 16 treating plants across the South, Midwest, and Mid-Atlantic, with distribution reaching 28 U.S. states, the Caribbean, Latin America, the European Union, the Mediterranean region, and China. It is named the largest treater in the industry by Building Products Digest (2006) and employs nearly 1,200 people combined with its sister company Greenbush Logistics, Inc.

The company's core technology is pressure treatment using micronized copper azole (MCA) preservative, in which copper is milled to submicron-sized particles and suspended in solution to produce a lighter, more natural wood appearance while delivering long-term protection against rot, fungal decay, and termite attack. Product lines include pressure-treated decking, fencing, dimensional lumber, specialty posts, columns, plywood, and siding, augmented by Kiln Dried After Treatment (KDAT), factory-applied water repellents, FlameFreez fire retardant treatment, N-Durz borate treatment, and TideTuff marine-grade products. Manufacturing is vertically supported by Abbeville Fiber, LLC (a wholly owned sawmill launched in 2019) and additional sawmills acquired in Virginia and Alabama in 2020.

Great Southern generates revenue primarily through one-time sales of treated and untreated lumber to D-I-Y retail home centers, professional building-material dealers, industrial distributors, and international export channels, with pricing set by dealers at the unit level. Logistics and trucking services flow through sister company Greenbush Logistics (rapidly expanding fleet, 14 staging points), and untreated lumber is sold through the White Lumber Sales division. In 2025 the company transitioned leadership, elevating 34-year veteran Mark Callender to President and CEO while founder Jimmy Rane remained Chairman.

Name

Great Southern Wood Preserving

Legal name

Great Southern Wood Preserving, Incorporated

Website

https://yellawood.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Great Southern Wood Preserving is a privately held U.S. manufacturer of pressure-treated lumber sold under the YellaWood brand, operating 16 treating plants across 28 states and international markets, serving DIY retailers, pro dealers, and industrial customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pressure-treated lumber and wood building materials

NAICS

Wood Preservation (321114), Sawmills and Wood Preservation (32111), Lumber, Plywood, Millwork, and Wood Panel Merchant Wholesalers (42331), Veneer, Plywood, and Engineered Wood Product Manufacturing (3212)

SIC

Lumber & Wood Products (No Furniture) (2400), Sawmills & Planting Mills, General (2421), Wholesale-Lumber, Plywood, Millwork & Wood Panels (5031), Millwood, Veneer, Plywood, & Structural Wood Members (2430)

akta.pro primary industry

Wood Preservation & Pressure Treatment (IMAMABAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Treated Wood & Preserved Timber Products (IMADADAE), Wood Treatment & Specialty Preservatives (IMAEABAO), Wood Decking, Fencing & Outdoor Lumber Products (IMADADAF), Engineered Wood Products Distribution (LVL, I-joists, Glulam, CLT) (IMAMAIAD)

Keywords

• Pressure treated lumber
• Wood preservation products
• Treated decking materials
• Fire retardant wood
• Building material distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Abbeville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices17 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Pressure Treated Lumber Sales: Revenue generated from the sale of pressure treated pine products including decking, fencing, dimensional lumber, posts, and specialty products. Products are sold through retail home centers, pro dealers, and industrial distributors across 16 treating plant locations.
2. Untreated Lumber & Mill Direct Sales: Sale of untreated Southern Yellow Pine and other mill direct items including Yellow Pine, Spruce, OSB, Plywood, Rough Lumber, and Specialties through White Lumber Sales division.
3. Logistics Services: Greenbush Logistics, Inc. sister company provides trucking and logistics services with rapidly expanding fleet of trucks & trailers, fourteen staging points, and access to all major ports and freight lanes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Great Southern Wood Preserving manufactures and distributes branded pressure-treated lumber products (sold under the YellaWood brand and sub-brands) including decking, fencing, dimensional lumber, columns, specialty posts, plywood, and fire retardant treated wood. The company applies proprietary micronized copper azole (MCA) preservative, kiln-dried after treatment (KDAT), and water repellent treatments through 16 treating plants, distributing across 28 U.S. states and international markets through retail home centers, pro dealers, and industrial distributors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• YellaWood: Primary consumer brand for pressure treated pine products including decking, fencing, dimensional lumber, and outdoor building materials.
• YellaWood Select KDAT
• YellaWood SuperSelect
• MasterDeck
• RainWood
• FlameFreez
• YellaWood Protector
• N-Durz
• White Lumber Sales
• Greenbush Logistics

Products and services

• YellaWood Pressure Treated Decking Pressure-treated pine decking boards protected with micronized copper azole (MCA) preservative for long-term resistance to rot, fungal decay, and termite attack, sold through home centers and pro dealers for residential deck construction.
• Kiln Dried After Treatment (KDAT) Pressure Treated Decking Decking boards dried in a kiln after pressure treatment to remove excess moisture and return the wood to original moisture content, minimizing shrinkage, cupping, and warping compared to standard treated lumber.
• YellaWood Select KDAT Premium-appearance grade KDAT pressure-treated decking offering higher-grade lumber for residential and professional deck builds where appearance matters.
• YellaWood SuperSelect Top-tier KDAT pressure-treated decking offering the highest appearance grade in the YellaWood line, marketed for premium deck projects.
• MasterDeck Pressure Treated Decking Pressure-treated decking product line carrying the MasterDeck brand, offering an alternative premium option for residential deck projects.
• RainWood Pressure Treated Decking Pressure-treated decking with factory-applied water repellent on all four sides of the board, providing extra protection from moisture for outdoor deck construction.
• FlameFreez Fire Retardant Treated Wood Fire retardant treated wood for commercial and industrial applications where fire code compliance is required, sold under the registered FlameFreez brand.
• N-Durz Borate Treated Lumber Borate-treated lumber for commercial and industrial applications where protection against specific pests and decay is required.
• YellaWood Pressure Treated Columns Pressure-treated structural columns for porches, decks, and outdoor structures requiring long-lasting rot and termite resistance.
• Pressure Treated Fence Products Complete line of pressure-treated fence pickets, posts, panels, gates, and specialty fence profiles (dog ear, gothic top, split rail, corral boards) for residential, farm, and ranch fencing applications.
• Pressure Treated Dimensional Lumber Pressure-treated dimensional lumber including boards, dimension stock, and timbers for structural framing, sill plates, and general outdoor construction applications.
• Pressure Treated Specialty Posts Specialty pressure-treated posts including mailbox posts, gothic posts, and deck posts for outdoor residential and landscaping applications.
• Pressure Treated Plywood Pressure-treated plywood and pressure-treated plywood siding for exterior structural sheathing and siding applications requiring rot and termite resistance.
• Pressure Treated Siding Pressure-treated exterior siding products including log cabin siding, T1-11 panels, and pattern stock profiles for outdoor buildings and residential exteriors.
• YellaWood Protector Deck Stain and Sealer Deck stain and water repellent product line for finishing and maintaining pressure-treated decks and outdoor wood structures.
• White Lumber Sales Untreated Lumber Untreated Southern Yellow Pine and other mill-direct items including Yellow Pine, Spruce, OSB, Plywood, Rough Lumber, and Specialties sold to retailers through the White Lumber Sales division.
• Greenbush Logistics Trucking Services Trucking and logistics services provided by sister company Greenbush Logistics, Inc. with an expanding fleet of trucks and trailers, fourteen staging points, access to all major ports and freight lanes, ICC carrier with competitive rates, experienced drivers with extensive training, and centralized dispatch with satellite communications.
• Pressure Treated Deck Accents Pressure-treated deck accessory products including handrails, spindles, balusters, step stringers, step treads, wood lattice, lattice strips, and post caps for finishing deck projects.

Quantifiable outcome

• Protection against rot, fungal decay and termite attack
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Greenbush Logistics, Inc.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSister company providing comprehensive logistics and trucking services. Combined workforce of nearly 1,200 employees across 16 locations. Services include rapidly expanding fleet of trucks & trailers, fourteen staging points, access to all major ports and freight lanes, ICC carrier with competitive rates, experienced drivers with extensive training, and centralized dispatch with satellite communications.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves14 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Stella-Jones: Stella-Jones is the largest North American producer of pressure-treated wood products for utility poles, railway ties, and residential lumber — a direct competitor in the wood-preservation manufacturing space with similar end-markets and treatment processes.
• Koppers Holdings: Koppers is a major U.S. producer of pressure-treated wood products, particularly for utility poles, railroad ties, and residential applications — directly comparable to Great Southern Wood Preserving's pressure-treatment operations using wood preservatives.
• Culpeper Wood Preservers: Culpeper Wood Preservers is a regional pressure-treated lumber producer serving the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast U.S. — a direct peer with overlapping geography and product range to GSW's treating plant footprint.
• Hoover Treated Wood Products: Hoover Treated Wood Products is a U.S. manufacturer of pressure-treated and fire-retardant treated wood for residential, commercial, and industrial uses — a direct peer, especially in the FlameFreez-equivalent fire-retardant product category.
• Viance LLC: Viance is a chemical technology company specializing in wood preservatives (including the DCO and Earthwood MCA-based systems) and treated-wood solutions — directly comparable as both a treatment technology supplier and a peer pressure-treater.
• Conrad Forest Products: Conrad Forest Products is a U.S. pressure-treated lumber manufacturer operating multiple treating facilities, directly competing with Great Southern Wood Preserving in residential and commercial treated wood markets.

Broad incumbents

• Louisiana-Pacific Corporation: Louisiana-Pacific is a major U.S. building products manufacturer of engineered wood, siding, and OSB — a broad incumbent that overlaps GSW in residential outdoor construction materials through DIY and pro channels.
• Lonza (Arch Wood Protection): Lonza's Arch Wood Protection business supplies wood preservatives and operates in industrial wood preservation globally, comparable to GSW as both an upstream preservative supplier/competitor and a peer in treated-wood technology.
• UFP Industries (Universal Forest Products): UFP Industries is a multibillion-dollar lumber and building products manufacturer with pressure-treating operations, serving both DIY retail and pro-dealer channels — overlapping GSW's channel structure and product mix at greater scale and broader portfolio.

Emerging players

• Trex Company: Trex is the leading manufacturer of wood-alternative composite decking and railing, competing directly with pressure-treated lumber in residential decking — a substitute rather than direct competitor, but the most important material threat to GSW's core residential decking volumes.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/yellawood
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/00YellaWood00
• Facebookfacebook.com/yellawood
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/great-southern-wood-preserving

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Great Southern Wood Preserving