Opportunity continues to knock for the business sector in Dickson County, with several success stories to choose from. Here are some of them:

Food Manufacturers

The county is home to Odom's Tennessee Pride Real Country Sausage, which has been around since 1943 and has only two manufacturing facilities in the U.S. – one in Dickson and the other in Arkansas. Tennessee Bun Company in Dickson manufactures more than 1,000 buns a minute and has a product line of 20 different bun varieties, while Stone Clear Springs Premium Spring Water produces bottled water available for retail and wholesale, and also offers bottled water in special-edition glass bottles.

Agriculture/Farms

There is plenty to root for regarding agriculture and farms in Dickson County, especially since the community is home to more than 1,250 farms. Many of those are still-thriving century farms, which means they have been in the same family for more than 100 years. They include Larkins Farm that was founded in 1787 and is in its sixth generation, with Leslie D. Larkins Jr. serving as current owner.

Other long-standing operations include the Baker's Burden Farm, Cook's Stokes Farm, Daniel's Dairy Farm, Dull Farm and the Hickory Hill Farm, whose 250 acres continue to produce tobacco, hay and cattle and is the legal responsibility of owners Maria Miller Freeman of Knoxville and Kay Miller Waters of Maryland.

Manufacturing

The manufacturing industry in Dickson County continues to build momentum, with several top companies doing business here. They include Tennsco Corp., which began operations in 1962 and produces durable filing and storage systems, steel office furniture, industrial and institutional shelving, lockers, and shop equipment. Meanwhile, Nemak Tennessee (formerly Teksid Aluminum) has been around since 1979 and produces aluminum cylinder heads, engine blocks and transmission parts for the auto industry.

At Shiloh Industries, the Dickson facility opened in 1994 and its 350 employees produce metal stampings and assemblies principally for Nissan, Johnson Controls, Visteon and Ford Motor Company. And at Quad/Graphics (formerly Quebecor Printing Corp.), the company specializes in short and medium run length publication and catalog printing.