BURNS, Tenn. (WKRN) — The forest in Dickson County is filled with all sorts of beautiful oak trees, perfect for creating locally-sourced hardwood floors, molding and cabinets. News 2 went inside Middle Tennessee Lumber, a company with roots in Dickson County for decades. 

"This is massive. How much is in here?" we asked walking into one of the warehouses at Middle Tennessee Lumber.

"Oh man, I would say about 800,000 feet - just roughly," said Bill Joyce, the CEO at Middle Tennessee Lumber.

Joyce looks right at home walking around the towering stacks of lumber. The business has been on Gum Branch Road in Burns since 1967; Bill bought it in 1985.

"Did you think it would be this kind of success?" we asked.

"No. Heck no I didn't," said Bill. 

In 1985, Middle Tennessee Lumber wasn't nearly as big as it is today. It has grown from seven to 57 acres. Today, the company employees 137 people in Dickson County. Cleanliness and safety is a top concern here for Joyce, as is ensuring that his team is treated the way he would want to be treated at work. 

"Kinda have grown up with some of the employees that are still here. Some of them have been here 30 years or more," said Joyce. "Someone will tell me, 'My dad used to work at Middle Tennessee Lumber or my brother.' Just so many people." 

"To be such an important employer in your community — what does that feel like for you?" we asked Bill. 

"It gives me a sense of responsibility to touch that many people in the community."

And it's not only the hardworking people in Dickson County that helped grow Middle Tennessee Lumber, it's also the location. The forest there is rich with a wide variety of oak trees, which are ideal for making hardwood floors, molding and cabinets. 

"We're very very fortunate to be located here in Dickson County because the quality of white oak in this area is really good!" 

Joyce shows us around the lumber yard. The hardwood lumber created here is sent across the U.S. and exported to other countries.

"We export a lot of our high grade white oak to Europe because Europeans love hardwood lumber," said Joyce.

And though his business is doing well, Joyce said the lumber industry as a whole is facing a reckoning. A lot of green hardwood lumber is stuck selling at the same price it did in the 1990s.

"You can imagine with all the cost of diesel fuel, electricity, labor - oh my. It's just been really, really tough. We've seen countless sawmills close right here in Tennessee. It's pretty much a crisis." 

But, Joyce is not stopping. He encourages the next generation to take jobs in the hardwood lumber industry. He would love to see Middle Tennessee Lumber firmly planted in Dickson County like a strong oak tree decades to come. 

"I want it to continue long after I'm gone. And I think I've made plans for that to happen," said Joyce.

If you are interested in launching a career in hardwood lumber, Joyce recommends reaching out to a local facility and ask if they offer paid internships. 

News Source : https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/on-tour-middle-tn/middle-tennessee-lumber/