Collum's Lumber Products Named South Carolina's 2026 Agribusiness of the Year

A fourth-generation Allendale company that traces its roots to a small planer mill in 1930s Batesburg has earned South Carolina's highest agribusiness honor. South Carolina Manufacturers and Commerce named Collum's Lumber Products the 2026 Agribusiness of the Year on March 17, recognizing the company's decades of leadership in the state's forestry industry. The award was presented at SCMC's Spotlight on Agriculture and Forestry event, an annual gathering created in partnership with industry leaders to celebrate innovation and long-term growth across South Carolina's agribusiness sector.

Collum's has grown from those Depression-era origins into one of the Southeast's leading producers of Southern yellow pine lumber, operating what SCMC describes as one of the most modern sawmills and planer operations in the region. The Allendale facility is capable of producing up to 200 million board feet annually, with a product line that spans dimension lumber, treated wood, poles, wood chips, biomass, and remanufactured components. The company is also certified by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, a designation it says ensures its wholesale products are harvested using best management practices to keep South Carolina's forests productive for future generations.

Jake Scott of Collum's Lumber Products framed the recognition as a reflection of how the company has grown on its own terms. "We are a fourth-generation company, and we have become who we are today by reinvesting in ourselves," Scott said. "We all understand how vital companies like this are to rural South Carolina, and we thank SCMC for this recognition."

State and county officials were equally direct about what the company means beyond its production numbers. Secretary of Commerce Bobby Hitt called the award "yet another win for South Carolina's dynamic agribusiness and forestry industries" and said he looks forward to "seeing this family-owned business have continued success in the Palmetto State for years to come."

For Allendale County, the recognition carries particular weight. County Council Chairman Bill Robinson noted that Collum's has been "a major employer in our county for decades, providing both direct and indirect jobs to hundreds, creating opportunities for suppliers and support services as well as tax revenue to fund county services to our residents." Barbara Lewis, chair of the Allendale County Economic Development Commission, put it more personally: "Collum's Lumber Products has been part of our industrial family and business community for generations, and we are proud that Allendale County is home to this progressive company."

The award also arrives alongside a separate expansion announcement. Collum's is investing $2 million to construct a new warehousing facility on the site of its existing Allendale sawmill operation, a project expected to create 10 new jobs. The expansion underscores a pattern the company has followed since its founding: steady reinvestment in its own backyard rather than departure from it.