Family-owned and operated by James Savage, his son, Alex Savage, and a daughter, Jackie Hillis, the Savage’s have been involved in the forest products industry for many generations.
SAVAGE LUMBER–Offering Quality Hardwoods For Nearly A Half Century
By Paul Miller Jr.
Doyle, Tenneessee—Savage Lumber Co., Inc., produces approximately 15 million board feet annually of Appalachian Red and White Oak, Ash, Poplar, Hard and Soft Maple, Walnut, Cherry, Hickory, Sassafras and Aromatic Red Cedar annually. Thicknesses offered range from 4/4 through 12/4.
Savage Lumber has been exporting Hardwood lumber for nearly 30 years. Predominately the company exports Red and White Oak, Ash, Basswood, Poplar and Cedar. The company started by exporting White Oak to Europe and then they began moving a lot of Poplar and other species into Italy. Today the firm exports into all of Asia, Canada, Italy, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Germany and various other countries.
Located halfway between Knoxville and Nashville, Tenn., just 30 miles south of Cookeville, Tenn., the company has facilities on about 70 acres of land. Family-owned and operated by James Savage, his son, Alex Savage, and a daughter, Jackie Hillis, the Savage’s have been involved in the forest products industry for many generations. “You could say I was born in a sawdust pile,” Savage laughed. “My father was in the business and I was in and out of it until I got out of school. After school I worked in a hardwood dimension plant. Then I started an excavation business that evolved into investing in timberland. I bought a portable sawmill and started sawing lumber from my timberlands. In 1973 we purchased Volunteer Specialty’s sawmill operation in Quebeck, Tenn., with nine employees,” he continued.
Savage Lumber Co., Inc., produces approximately 15 million board feet annually of Appalachian Red and White Oak, Ash, Poplar, Hard and Soft Maple, Walnut, Cherry, Hickory, Sassafras and Aromatic Red Cedar annually.
Today Savage Lumber uses approximately 200,000 board feet of dry kiln capacity and over a million feet of warehouse space. “Our sawmill consists of a debarker, headrig and two kerf band resaws,” Savage said.
With approximately 50 employees, Savage employs four lumber inspectors, all of whom have been trained and educated through various National Hardwood Lumber Association (NHLA) short courses. Savage Lumber Co. Inc. is a 30 year + member of the NHLA, James said. His daughter Jackie serves as office manager handling logistics and accounts receivable, while son Alex is the general operations manager.
Savage Lumber sources logs from about a 100-mile radius from their location in Tennessee. “We generally stay within that range with the exception of the logs we purchase for export,” Hillis noted.
“I was on the board of directors of the National Exporters Association years ago,” Savage continued. “That experience gave me a lot of influence in Europe, where I was already involved in at the time. Those few years I spent serving on their board and traveling overseas for meetings, etc., really broadened our customer base and opened a lot of doors.”
Located halfway between Knoxville and Nashville, Tenn., just 30 miles south of Cookeville, Tenn., the company has facilities on about 70 acres of land.
Savage Lumber Co. keeps an average log inventory of at least 500,000 board feet; a kiln-dried inventory of 800,000 board feet and an air-dried inventory of around 1 million board feet. The company is a member of National Hardwood Lumber Association and the Kentucky Forest Industries Association. For more information contact (931) 657- 2211.
Savage Lumber Co. keeps an average log inventory of at least 500,000 board feet; a kiln-dried inventory of 800,000 board feet and an air-dried inventory of around 1 million board feet.
Savage Lumber Co., Inc., sources logs from about a 100-mile radius from their location in Tennessee.
