Chuck Spooner, president of Central Atlanta Tractor, along with the entire team at the company's Martin Luther King Jr. Drive facility in Atlanta, is celebrating a major milestone — 30 years in business. Founded in 1995 by Chuck's father, Charlie Spooner, the company has grown from a small equipment resale operation into a full-service dealership representing major brands and serving customers across the Southeast and beyond.
Charlie Spooner brought decades of experience to the founding of Central Atlanta Tractor. He spent more than 20 years as a Caterpillar dealer salesman, specializing in new equipment sales. He later transitioned to selling used machines with another company and spent five years with Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers. Charlie then decided to start his own business.
The company initially set up shop in a leased facility on Lee Industrial Boulevard in Austell, Ga. — property owned by Plateau Excavation. The site was ideal, featuring an existing shop and equipment yard. Charlie also brought on a financial partner to help with purchasing machines for resale and repair.
Just two years after the company was founded, Charlie's son, Chuck Spooner, joined the team. Having started his career in the equipment rental industry, Chuck's background was a perfect match for the company, which was beginning to lean more heavily into rental over direct sales. Possessing some mechanical experience, Chuck also was able to travel to job sites for diagnostics and repairs — adding valuable flexibility in the early days.
"We changed fluids, alternators, starters — then we'd handle accounting, payroll, invoicing," said Chuck. "After that, I'd hit the road to visit job sites and call customers. We went to auctions to buy machines, tweaked them and sent them back out for rent or sale. That was our simple strategy.
"When business really started taking off, we subcontracted service work and leaned on local dealerships for major repairs," he added. "The challenge was putting out reliable machines that required minimal service."
In 2005, Central Atlanta Tractor moved next door to a larger facility that included a separate sales office, service facility and expanded equipment yard. Around the same time, Chuck's sister, Marla Spooner, joined the company in a sales role. Both siblings had grown up around the business and were already seasoned in machine sales and customer relations.
With this move, Charlie fully handed over the reins to Chuck and retired to Gulf Shores, Ala.
"He had the best timing — left right before the 2008 recession hit" joked Chuck.
Despite the economic downturn, Central Atlanta Tractor endured.
"While others were going out of business or selling out, we weathered the storm, didn't lay anyone off and found new income streams by exporting used machines to every continent," said Chuck.
In 2014, the company pivoted again — this time becoming a distributor for SANY America. With SANY's U.S. headquarters located in nearby Peachtree City, Ga., Chuck felt confident in the partnership.
"SANY has been expanding their lineup since day one in the United States, and I knew this would help meet our customers' immediate equipment needs."
Following the addition of SANY, Central Atlanta Tractor also brought on Bell Trucks and IROCK Crushers, enhancing its product portfolio. The company invested in factory-trained field service technicians and built out a fleet of full-size service trucks equipped with cranes and welders capable of handling new, rental and used equipment service needs.
This rapid growth led to another major move in 2020 to a new facility nearly triple the size of the previous one and just around the corner from the company's last location.
With new product lines and an expanded facility, the company also grew its staff — now nearing 40 employees. While many similar dealerships in the Southeast have sold to larger corporate groups, Central Atlanta Tractor remains proudly family-owned and operated.
Becoming a full-service dealer also brought new challenges, including meeting manufacturers' market share expectations.
"Partnering with manufacturers opens new customer opportunities," said Chuck. "But meeting their expectations is always a challenge and a priority."
The SANY partnership, however, proved to be a cornerstone of the company's growth.
"With a standard five-year, 5,000-hour warranty, SANY offers the best warranty in the industry," he said. "They cover travel, time and labor costs, which can often be a burden for dealers. They truly stand behind their machines.
"Being so close, SANY even uses some of our customers to demo their newest models and give feedback directly to engineers," he added.
While headquartered on Atlanta's west side, Chuck is already thinking about the future.
"We're exploring an East side location," he said. "We already have staff in place on that side of town, and we want to be closer to customers for sales, service and rentals."
Reflecting on industry changes over the past 30 years, Chuck pointed to the rise of the Internet — not so much as a sales tool, but as a company's virtual front door.
"This industry isn't just about machines — it's about relationships. Customers need people they can call for service and support. That's the difference between productivity and downtime."
Today, Central Atlanta Tractor maintains an inventory of more than 200 machines across new, used and rental categories. Supporting that volume requires a skilled and experienced team — something Chuck is proud to have built.
"The real secret to our success is our team," he said. "Our people are the foundation. Quality staffing has been the backbone of our growth from day one."
As Central Atlanta Tractor celebrates three decades in business, one thing is clear: a commitment to hard work, strong relationships, and staying true to its roots has powered the company's journey — and continues to guide its future. CEG
