New planer mill brings Mississippi manufacturer up to speed

qOUTHERN Lumber Co.. [nc. has L)unveiled a new planer mill in Hermanville, Ms., the final phase of a five-year plan to have a complete state-of-the-art sawmill complex.

The new mill boasts a Hi-Tech clamshell trimmer, Lucidyne grade reader, 40-bin drop sorter, Hi-Tech package maker and Signode semiautomatic strapping system.

"We're very excited about our facility," says co-owner Floyd Sulser. "For over 50 years, Hermanville lum-

Story at a Glance

High-tech planer mill completes Mississippi-based Southern Lumber Co.'s fiveyear renovation.

ber operations have been an integral part of the economy of southwest Mississippi. This new planer mill is an important watershed in the advancement of our company. We feel well prepared to meet the challenges facing the lumber industry in the next decade."

The Hermanville sawmill has special value for Sulser and partner Bill Dearman, who purchased the operation from Masonite Corp. in 1983. Both men started their lumber careers at the mill during the 1940s while working for Mississippi industrialist Warren Hood. The Hood Companies flourished, expanding their forestryrelated operations throughout the state.

ln 1971, Hood sold all operations to Masonite, and Sulser and Dearman continued to manage the timber and lumber interests in Mississippi for Masonite.

By 1983, Masonite was redirecting its business focus and sold all of its Mississippi timberland and sawmills.

Sulser and Dearman formed Southern Lumber Co., Inc. in May 1983 for the purpose of purchasing several Masonite properties, including the Hermanville mill.

Their vision was to continue the quality and tradition of both Hood and Masonite, while at the same time employing an innovative and aggressive approach toward the manufacture of southern yellow pine dimension lumber. Since then, the mill has been completely redesigned, and now every operation relies on some advanced form of electronics.