Great Southern buys two lumber plants

Great Southern Wood Preserving has announced two of its subsidiaries have purchased Curt Bean Lumber plants, according to the Northwest Arkansas Business Journal.

The wood treating plants are located in Glenwood, Ark., and Buckner, Mo.

The agreement calls for Curt Bean Lumber's remaining Amity, Ark.-based plant to provide treating services to Great Southern, the companies said.

Great Southern now has nine treating facilities.

“Our focus has always been on providing great products and great service, and we're excited to bring that commitment to Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and portions of Texas, Louisiana, Kansas, Nebraska and Iowa,” said Jimmy Rane, president and CEO of Great Southern.

Rane said his company expects to have the plants operational for the 2008 season.

Great Southern was founded in 1971 in Abbeville, Ala. It has plants in Conyers and Jesup, Ga.; Muscle Shoals and Mobile, Ala.; Sumter County, Fla.; and Columbus, Texas.

Curt Bean was founded in 1940 and has developed into one of Arkansas’ largest independent manufacturers of Southern pine and treated lumber, according to the company’s Web site.