Company History

The history of Cooper Machine Company spans over 4 decades. Mr. H.M. “Billy” Cooper founded the company in 1965, in the small South Georgia town of Wadley. It started out as a general machine and fabrication shop, involved in mostly mill repair and renovations. But that was not enough for a man of Billy’s mechanical aptitude and engineering savvy. He needed another outlet for his creativity. He delved into custom fabrication work for companies such as Georgia Pacific and Kimberly Clark, manufactured lift trucks and log and lowboy trailers, and even became a dealer for Timberjack skidders and Ronen loaders. Then, while he was in the middle of a mill renovation and repair project, he conceived the idea for what has come to be known throughout the industry as the “Overhead End Dogging Scrag” mill.

Cooper Machine’s first Overhead Scrag mill was sold to Battle Lumber Company, also located in Wadley, GA in 1972, which served as a proving ground for the new design. The Overhead End Dogging Scrag demonstrated its value immediately and set Cooper Machine on the road to becoming a leader in the sawmill machinery manufacturing and design industry. As a testament to Cooper Machine’s exceptional quality and workmanship, the original scrag saw mill was operated daily for nearly 20 years before Battle sold it and replaced it with a newer, upgraded Cooper model.

Billy passed away in 1995, but his two sons, Bill and Robert carry on the legacy of designing and producing sawmills that set the standard in quality, efficiency and productivity within the industry. But it takes more than just a quality product to be successful. All machinery manufactured by Cooper Machine has the support of the experienced technical department of Cooper Machine, which is yet another area where Cooper Machine excels. With combined experience of over 60 years, Cooper Machine’s technical department ensures that the machines are properly installed and also provides in depth training for sawmill personnel in the areas of maintenance and proper operation. They also are available to provide technical support and advice on machinery upgrades and modifications.

Cooper Machine has been in the business of improving sawmill production for over 40 years and has remained at the forefront of sawmill innovations and design. We are prepared to continue that legacy for many years to come.