What Thompson Hardwoods does

Thompson Hardwoods, Inc. is a privately held, family-owned hardwood, cypress, and pine wood products manufacturer founded in 1957 and headquartered in Hazlehurst, Georgia. The company is recognized as one of the top 10 largest hardwood sawmills in the United States and operates three integrated divisions — Grade Hardwood Sawmill, Dry Kiln/Grade & Sorting, and Scragg Mill/Chip Mill — producing kiln-dried Southern hardwood and cypress lumber across eight species (Ash, Cypress, Hickory/Pecan, Poplar, Red Oak, Soft Maple, Tupelo, and White Oak), as well as railroad crossties and switch ties, custom pallet and cant stock, crane mat timbers, architectural timbers up to 40 feet, hardwood and pine pulp chips, and mulch products.

The company's technology stack centers on capital-intensive sawmill and material handling equipment (Fulghum Rosser Head Debarker, Nelson Brothers Surround Scan, Salem log carriage and band saws, Corley trim saws, Cooper Machine tandem sharp chain scragg mill, Cone Machinery double arbor gang saw, TS Manufacturing hydraulic compression station and 100-bay drop sorter, Lucidyne grading and sorting, USNR optimized trimmer, Precision Husky chipper), nine computer-controlled low-temperature dry kilns with 845,000 BF capacity, and a TS Manufacturing/Lucidyne/USNR export packaging and tracking system including eLimbs electronic package identity. Production capacity stands at 300,000 tons per year of pulp chips and an average 112 MMBF of kiln-dried inventory available for immediate shipment.

Commercially, Thompson Hardwoods runs a sales-led, direct-customer model with specialized sales contacts for kiln dry lumber, pallet lumber, industrial sales, and shipping, supported by multilingual (English, Chinese, Vietnamese) website and a Request a Quote workflow. Distribution is hybrid: domestic shipments via Norfolk Southern rail and common carrier, exports via container loading at the company's Savannah, GA facility and Florida ports to clients in China and Vietnam. The customer base spans wood product manufacturers (furniture, cabinetry, flooring, millwork), international lumber distributors, railroad contractors (AAR cross ties), pulp and paper mills, pallet and crating companies, and landscaping/garden centers, with all pricing delivered on a quote-based, per-project basis. The company has been owned by the Beasley family since early 2010 and operates as part of the Beasley group of wood product facilities.

Name

Thompson Hardwoods

Legal name

Thompson Hardwoods, Inc.

Website

https://thompsonhardwoods.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1957

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Thompson Hardwoods, Inc., founded in 1957 in Hazlehurst, Georgia, is a family-owned manufacturer of kiln-dried Southern hardwood, cypress, and pine products — including lumber across eight species, railroad crossties, pallet stock, crane mat timbers, architectural timbers, pulp chips, and mulch — serving domestic wood-product manufacturers and export customers in China and Vietnam.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hardwood Lumber Manufacturing

NAICS

Sawmills (321113), Sawmills and Wood Preservation (3211), Lumber, Plywood, Millwork, and Wood Panel Merchant Wholesalers (42331), Other Wood Product Manufacturing (3219)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Hardwood Lumber Sawmills (IMAMABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wood Chipping, Residue Processing & Biomass Feedstock (IMAMABAG), Wood Remanufacturing (Mouldings, Millwork Blanks, Cut Stock) (IMAMABAI), Hardwood Lumber Distribution & Trading (IMAMAIAB), Planing Mills & Lumber Surfacing (IMAMABAE)

Keywords

• Hardwood lumber manufacturing
• Kiln dried lumber
• Cypress lumber products
• Railroad crossties
• Sawmill operations

Headquarters

HQ city

Hazlehurst

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Kiln Dried Hardwood and Cypress Lumber: Manufactures and sells kiln dried southern hardwood and cypress lumber in various species (Ash, Cypress, Hickory/Pecan, Poplar, Red Oak, Soft Maple, Tupelo, White Oak) in 4/4 and 8/4 thicknesses. Products sold to furniture, flooring, cabinetry, and construction manufacturers.
2. Railroad Cross Ties and Switch Ties: Produces AAR railroad cross ties and switch ties to RTA and AREMA standards since 1968. Manufactures 6 and 7 inch grades including industrial grades. Ships via truck or rail.
3. Pulp Chips (Hardwood and Pine): Major supplier of domestic and export hardwood and pine pulp chips for decades. Uses drum debarker and chipper to meet paper mill specifications. Capacity of 300,000 tons per year. Exports from Savannah, Georgia port.
4. Custom Pallet Lumber and Cant Stock: Manufactures custom pallet lumber in various thicknesses (1/2, 5/8, 3/4, 7/8, 4/4, 5/4), cant stock (4x4, 4x6, 4x8, 6x6), and lengths (8-16 feet). Offers heat treatment certification by TPI.
5. Crane Mat Timbers: Manufactures industrial crane mat timbers in 8 to 18 foot lengths in southern red and white oak for construction and crane equipment applications.
6. Architectural Oak and Cypress Timbers: Custom architectural timbers from 8 to 40 feet in southern red/white oak and cypress, along with millwork, paneling patterns, and surfacing services (S2S, S4S, Hit and Miss).
7. Hardwood and Cypress Mulch: Supplies bulk hardwood mulch via truck, including cypress bark, red oak bark, and mixed hardwood bark for lawn and garden applications.
8. Export Shipping Services: Provides export container loading, custom logo and color end coats, rail service via Norfolk Southern, and domestic common carrier loading. Export shipments from Savannah, Georgia and Florida ports.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Thompson Hardwoods, Inc. is a manufacturer of kiln-dried Southern hardwood and cypress lumber and wood products. The company processes raw sawlogs through its Grade Hardwood Sawmill, Dry Kiln/Grade & Sorting, and Scragg Mill/Chip Mill divisions, producing kiln-dried lumber in eight species (Ash, Cypress, Hickory/Pecan, Poplar, Red Oak, Soft Maple, Tupelo, White Oak), plus architectural and industrial timbers, pallet and crane mat lumber, AAR railroad crossties and switch ties, hardwood and pine pulp chips, and bulk hardwood and cypress mulch. It also offers export packaging, NHLA lumber grading and width sorting, millwork/surfacing, and container, rail, and flatbed shipping services.

Product overview

Thompson Hardwoods is a manufacturer of Southern hardwood and cypress lumber and wood products operating since 1957. The company operates as one of the top 10 largest hardwood sawmills in the United States with a product portfolio centered on kiln-dried hardwood lumber across 8 species (Ash, Cypress, Hickory/Pecan, Poplar, Red Oak, Soft Maple, Tupelo, and White Oak). The product line includes core lumber offerings in various thicknesses (4/4, 5/4, 8/4), lengths (6-16 feet), and widths for domestic and export markets. Beyond raw lumber, the company offers value-added products including architectural and industrial timbers (8-40 feet), pallet lumber stock, crane mat timbers, railroad crossties and switch ties, hardwood/pine pulp chips, and mulch products. Services include export package preparation with compression and tagging, NHLA lumber grading and sorting, and container/rail/flatbed shipping with ports in Savannah, Georgia and Florida. The company operates three divisions: Grade Hardwood Sawmill, Dry Kiln/Grade & Sorting, and Scragg Mill/Chip Mill.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Kiln Dried Southern Hardwood & Cypress Lumber Core kiln-dried hardwood and cypress lumber offering covering eight Southern species (Ash, Cypress, Hickory/Pecan, Poplar, Red Oak, Soft Maple, Tupelo, White Oak) in 4/4, 5/4, and 8/4 thicknesses and lengths from 6 to 16 feet. Sold to furniture, flooring, cabinetry, millwork, and construction manufacturers for domestic and export markets.
• Ash Lumber Light-colored to pale beige Ash hardwood lumber with brown to light brown heartwood, valued for excellent strength, toughness, stiffness, and hardness relative to its light weight. Sold as kiln-dried lumber for furniture, flooring, tool handles, and similar applications.
• Cypress Lumber Lightweight, workable cypress lumber available in Bald Cypress and Pond Cypress varieties, featuring natural cypressene oil that provides moderate resistance to decay and insects. Sold for siding, millwork, and outdoor construction applications.
• Hickory/Pecan Lumber Hard, stiff, dense Hickory/Pecan lumber with shock resistance and steam bending properties, valued for strength, toughness, hardness, and stiffness with characteristic bird pecks for rustic appearance. Sold for tool handles, flooring, furniture, and similar demanding applications.
• Poplar Lumber Poplar lumber known for durability similar to oak with substantially reduced weight, featuring flexibility and close grain for furniture, cabinetry, millwork, and paint-grade applications.
• Red Oak Lumber Red Oak lumber with white to light brown sapwood and pinkish red to reddish brown heartwood, mostly straight-grained with coarse texture. Sold for interior millwork, doors, cabinetry, flooring, and furniture.
• Soft Maple Lumber Relatively stable Soft Maple lumber once kiln dried, featuring creamy white sapwood and light reddish brown heartwood, sold for furniture, cabinetry, millwork, and flooring applications.
• Tupelo Lumber Fine-textured Tupelo lumber (also known as Black Gum) with interlocking grain and inconspicuous growth rings, valued by wood carvers and used for interior millwork and industrial applications.
• White Oak Lumber Heavier White Oak lumber with closed cells, lighter sapwood, and light to dark brown heartwood, suitable for wine barrels, interior millwork, furniture, flooring, and industrial applications where water resistance is required.
• Architectural & Industrial Timbers Custom architectural and industrial timbers ranging from 8 to 40 feet in length, manufactured from Southern Red Oak, White Oak, and Cypress species for construction and architectural applications.
• Pallet Lumber Custom pallet lumber and cant stock in thicknesses of 1/2, 5/8, 3/4, 7/8, 4/4, and 5/4, sizes of 4x4, 4x6, 4x8, and 6x6, and lengths from 8 to 16 feet. Heat treatment certification by Timber Products Inspection (TPI) available for ISPM 15 export compliance.
• Crane Mat Timbers Industrial crane mat timbers in lengths from 8 to 18 feet manufactured from Southern Red Oak and White Oak, providing a firm stable surface for safe crane and construction equipment operation.
• Railroad Crossties Untreated green railroad crossties manufactured to Railway Tie Association (RTA) and American Railway Engineering and Maintenance of Way Association (AREMA) standards. Available in 6 inch and 7 inch grades including industrial grades. Shipped via truck or rail.
• Railroad Switch Ties Untreated green switch ties for railroad turnouts or crossovers, available in 10, 12, 14, and 16 foot lengths, all in 7 inch grade. Manufactured to RTA and AREMA standards for railroad construction.
• Hardwood and Pine Pulp Chips Drum-debarked hardwood and pine pulp chips for paper and pulp customers, with annual production capacity of 300,000 tons. Available for domestic and export markets with delivery by truck or rail, with rail storage capacity of up to 12 rail cars and exports from Savannah, Georgia.
• Hardwood & Cypress Mulch Bulk shredded mulch products in cypress bark, red oak bark, and mixed hardwood bark varieties, delivered via truck for lawn and garden applications. Suppresses weeds, insulates plants, and retains moisture.
• Potting Soil Additives Clean cypress sawdust sold for potting soil applications, helping retain moisture and nutrients while assisting in water drainage.
• Export Lumber Package Preparation Export packaging service that compresses bundles on sides and top with a TS Manufacturing hydraulic compression station, secures them with three-quarter inch polyester strapping, applies customer-specific custom logos and color end coats, and tags packages with the eLimbs electronic lumber management system for tracking.
• Kiln Dried Lumber Grade & Width Sorting NHLA grading service using nine computer-controlled low temperature dry kilns with 845,000 BF capacity, a 100-bay drop bin sorter, and average inventory of 112 million board feet of kiln-dried lumber for immediate prompt shipment to customers.
• Container, Rail & Flatbed Shipping Shipping service that includes export container loading, rail service via Norfolk Southern, and domestic common carrier loading, with export shipments departing from Savannah, Georgia and Florida ports (Fort Pierce and Miami).
• Millwork, Paneling Patterns & Surfacing Surface milling and millwork services delivering S2S (Surfaced 2 Sides), S4S (Surfaced 4 Sides), and Hit and Miss surfacing options, plus custom paneling patterns on oak and cypress lumber products.

Quantifiable outcome

• Top 10 largest lumber sawmill in the United States
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles8 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• National Hardwood Lumber Association (NHLA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThompson Hardwoods uses NHLA grade rules when grading hardwood lumber. NHLA grading maximizes yield and value while providing consistent language for buyer and seller transactions. The company also holds an NHLA Sustainability Verification Certificate.
• American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerThompson Hardwoods is a member of AHEC which promotes American hardwoods in international markets, supporting the company's export operations to China and Vietnam.
• Hardwood Manufacturers Association (HMA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTrade association membership supporting the hardwood industry and providing industry advocacy and networking opportunities.
• Southern Cypress Manufacturers AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTrade association for cypress manufacturers, supporting Thompson Hardwoods' cypress product line marketing and industry representation.
• Hardwood FederationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry advocacy organization representing hardwood manufacturers' interests in federal policy and regulation.
• American HardwoodsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerConsumer marketing platform promoting American hardwoods, supporting Thompson Hardwoods' brand visibility in domestic markets.
• Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational certification body promoting responsible forest management. Thompson Hardwoods environmental policy supports FSC principles.
• Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorth American forest certification program. Thompson Hardwoods promotes scientifically, environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable forest practices under SFI guidelines.
• Norfolk SoutherncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor Class I railroad providing rail service for Thompson Hardwoods shipments. Supports rail car storage (up to 12 chip rail cars) and crosstie/switch tie shipments.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Baillie Lumber Co. Family-owned hardwood sawmill and lumber manufacturer operating multiple facilities across the U.S. Northeast and Midwest, producing kiln-dried hardwood lumber, hardwood logs, and chips. Directly comparable as a multi-species hardwood sawmill with export capabilities and NHLA grading.
• Cole Hardwood: Hardwood lumber manufacturer headquartered in Pennsylvania producing kiln-dried Appalachian hardwood lumber, crossties, and pallet stock. Comparable as a family-owned hardwood sawmill with kiln drying, NHLA grading, and value-added industrial products.
• McClain Forest Products: Hardwood sawmill and lumber manufacturer in Arkansas producing kiln-dried hardwood lumber and chips for domestic and export markets. Directly comparable as a Southern hardwood sawmill with chipping operations and export focus.
• Matson Lumber: Pennsylvania-based hardwood sawmill producing kiln-dried hardwood lumber, industrial products, and chips. Comparable as a multi-species hardwood manufacturer with industrial product lines and chip production.
• Kretz Lumber Co. Wisconsin-based hardwood sawmill producing kiln-dried lumber, custom pallet stock, and industrial hardwood products. Comparable as a family-owned hardwood manufacturer with pallet stock and kiln drying operations.
• Hancock Lumber: Maine-based family-owned lumber manufacturer producing kiln-dried Eastern hardwood and softwood lumber, with retail building material operations. Comparable as a multi-generational family-owned sawmill with kiln drying and value-added lumber products.
• Cersosimo Lumber Co. Vermont-based hardwood sawmill producing kiln-dried Northern hardwood lumber, chips, and biomass. Comparable as a hardwood sawmill with chip production and NHLA-graded kiln-dried lumber output.

Broad incumbents

• Weyerhaeuser Company: Publicly traded timber REIT owning and managing millions of acres of timberland with sawmill, plywood, and engineered wood operations. Comparable as a forest products manufacturer at vastly greater scale; overlaps in lumber and wood products but is a broad, diversified incumbent rather than a specialized hardwood sawmill.
• PotlatchDeltic Corporation: Publicly traded timber REIT with sawmill operations producing lumber and wood products across the U.S. South and Northern regions. Comparable as a large-scale forest products company with lumber and chip operations, but operates as a diversified timberland owner rather than a pure hardwood sawmill.
• Georgia-Pacific LLC: Koch-owned forest products manufacturer producing lumber, plywood, OSB, pulp, and paper. Based in the same geographic region as Thompson Hardwoods. Comparable as a major Southern forest products company, though much broader in scope than a pure hardwood sawmill.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ThompsonHardwoods

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Thompson Hardwoods