“Over the years we have built trusses for a lot of different applications. There are numerous celebrities’ homes that we are in, including Kid Rock, Chris Stapleton and Alan Jackson. We have trusses in government projects in Ft. Campbell, KY and an eight- or 10-building complex in Ft. Knox.” ~ Jeff McGehee, co-owner and plant manager, Eagle Truss LLC
Eagle Truss LLC, headquartered in Collinwood, TN, produces floor trusses, roof trusses and wall panels. The company also provides engineered lumber products such as LVL and I-Joist. Eagle Truss purchases about 5 million board feet annually in Southern Yellow Pine, 240,000 board feet in Spruce and 240,000 board feet in oriented strand board.
With another location in Sebree, KY, the first truss at Eagle Truss LLC was built and the company opened its doors in March of 2004. Attention to detail, quality and product specifications are the primary focus for this operation. Co-owner and Plant Manager Jeff McGehee said all of the company’s products are designed via an in-house engineering software. “We can provide sealed drawings for all projects that request them,” he explained. “Our outside sales staff can assist with measurements if needed. We deliver the majority of the products manufactured directly to the customer with shipping included in the costs, and customers can also come to the plant in Collinwood, TN or Sebree, KY to pick up their ordered products.”
Key personnel include Owner Paul Reed, Owner Donnie Couch, Owner and Collinwood Plant Manager Jeff McGehee and Owner and Sebree Plant Manager Tracy Morgan. The owners have a combined experience of over 120 years in the construction/truss industries and are diversified in all aspects of design and building trusses.
McGehee said, “We have always been a supporter of the community we are in, and we hire local staff and contribute to local needs. As a family and community-oriented business, we support local schools and their sports teams.”
As for the production process, McGehee said, “We primarily use kiln-dried Southern Yellow Pine for trusses, and we use SPF for wall panels.” As for transportation he said, “We ship to Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Kentucky, Indiana and we have done a small amount of shipping trusses internationally.”
McGehee also said Eagle Truss caters to all operations regardless of size. “Eagle Truss supplies to large companies building single- or multi-family home complexes, to individuals and anything in between. There has been no job too large or too small for us,” he said. “That’s a big part of what we do here on a local level.”
Eagle Truss products can be found in some interesting places including celebrities’ homes and government projects.
“Over the years we have built trusses for a lot of different applications. There are numerous celebrities’ homes that we are in, including Kid Rock, Chris Stapleton and Alan Jackson. We have trusses in government projects in Ft. Campbell, KY and an eight- or 10-building complex in Ft. Knox.”
With 45 employees, Eagle Truss implements an intense training program. “Due to the complexity of truss manufacturing, it’s mandatory that all of our employees are trained in the different grades of Southern Yellow Pine from No. 3 to Dense Select Structural (DSS) or Machine Stress Rated (MSR),” McGehee said. “Eagle Truss strives to provide our customers with a superior quality product in the timeliest manner possible. That includes keeping our employees up-to-date and educated on the products we sell and the markets we serve. Our outside sales force is qualified to review plans and visit job sites for field measurements.”
Each plant manager handles lumber purchasing, and Eagle Truss buys in truckload quantities based on the lumber required by the truss design. With a fleet of six of their own trucks, McGehee said the company delivers trusses up to 80-feet long. “Obviously at that size, we require specialty trailers to deliver our products,” he explained. “A lot of truss companies don’t build over 70-foot trusses and some of them even 60-foot. One of the things we are known for is providing longer trusses.”
With a career completely in the forest products industry, McGehee said he started working at a truss plant when he was in college and has enjoyed the forest products industry. “Our knowledge and the combined experience of our owners is what sets us apart,” McGehee explained. “I’ve been in the industry for 40 years. Other partners have 30 and 20 years, so combined we have over 100 years of experience in the truss industry. We’re also diverse in what we bring to the table. My experience is in the manufacturing process and Tracy Morgan’s experience is on the sales side. We can take care of every angle of the operation and provide our customers with an experienced and seasoned level of service. Quality and on-time delivery goes without saying; it’s an important selling point and a factor that we’re known for.”
Eagle Truss LLC is a member of the Structural Building Components Association (SBCA). For more information visit them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Eagletrussllc.
