H.M. "Billy" and Mary Brown Cooper

Cooper Machine was founded in 1965 by H.M. "Billy" and his wife, Mary Brown Cooper, in the small southeast Georgia town of Wadley. The company began as a general machine and fabrication shop, involved in mostly mill repair and renovations, but evolved into other areas, including custom fabrication work for sawmills, manufacturing lift trucks and log and lowboy trailers, and also became a dealer for skidders and loaders. Then, while he was in the middle of a mill renovation and repair project, Billy conceived the idea for what has come to be known throughout the industry as the Overhead End Dogging Scragg.

Cooper Machine’s first Overhead Scragg mill was sold in 1972. The Overhead End Dogging Scragg 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 scragg saw was operated daily for nearly 20 years before being sold and replaced with a newer, upgraded Cooper model.

Billy passed away in 1995, and his two sons, Bill and Robert, continued the legacy of designing and producing sawmills that set new standards in quality, efficiency and productivity within the industry. In 2008, Bill Cooper retired but Frances Cooper returned to work at the family business. Frances, after graduating with a Finance degree from the University of Georgia, was a sales tax consultant in Atlanta, GA for several years before returning to Cooper Machine in 2007.

In August 2014, Frances became CEO and Robert continued as President and Chief Machine Designer at Cooper Machine. Frances runs the day to day operations, but Robert continues to enjoy working with customers and designing equipment.

Robert Cooper, President

Frances Cooper, CEO

Cooper Machine strives to provide quality products and service to its customers. Cooper Machine’s technical department ensures that machines are properly installed and provides a depth of training for sawmill personnel in the areas of maintenance and proper operation. Our technicians and sales department, work together to provide advice and technical support on machinery upgrades and improvements. The parts department is here to supply the parts our customers need, when they need them.

A lot has changed over the years, but in the end, Cooper Machine is still the family business that cares about the equipment we build and our customers. Cooper Machine has been in the business of improving sawmill production for over 50 years and continues to be in the forefront of sawmill innovations and design. We are prepared to continue that legacy for many years to come.