For more than 40 years, Sparks Lumber, based in Ellijay, Ga., in Gilmer County, has been a cornerstone in its community, supplying quality lumber and materials with consistency and care.

From its early days, the company built its reputation on reliable service, trusted products and equipment that could be counted on to perform.

Operating across 30 acres with 10–12 million board ft. in yearly processing capacity, Sparks Lumber relied on heavy equipment to keep the yard moving.

Maintaining performance and uptime on aging machines, like its 1997 Volvo L120C wheel loader, affectionately called "Jamie's Loader," has always been a priority.

The loader earned its nickname from one operator, Jamie Dotson, who cared for it meticulously throughout his 20-year career. Every bolt, wire and preventive maintenance task was his responsibility. Dotson's dedication became legendary at Sparks Lumber, so much so that only a few trusted operators are allowed to drive it.

"That old 120 loader can just haul so much and always performs for us," said Sandie Sparks, sales manager of Sparks Lumber. "We know whenever we need it, it will always perform, and that's all because of Jamie. He treated that loader like a member of the family, and it just goes to show that if you take care of your equipment, it will never let you down."

Over the years, Sparks Lumber has relied on partners like Ascendum Machinery for parts and support, helping to keep "Jamie's Loader" performing at its best.

Partnership Built in 1997

When Sparks Lumber bought the Volvo L120C in 1997, no one imagined it would still be working hard nearly 30 years later. The loader quickly became a workhorse in the lumber yard, hauling logs, stacking lumber and moving material day in and day out.

Dotson believed that if you took care of the loader, it would take care of you. Every morning, he would check the fluids, look over the tires and listen to the engine. Little things added up, and he could catch the problems before they became serious.

Dotson passed away last fall at 48 after a battle with cancer. His legacy lives on every time the loader moves through the yard, a testament to the care and pride he put into his work every day.

He built a routine around maintenance that went beyond what was expected, including:

• daily walkarounds before each shift, checking fluids, inspecting tires and listening for anything unusual;

• meticulous cleaning and lubrication, even when time was short;

• strict record-keeping of service intervals, ensuring oil changes, filters and parts were always replaced on schedule; and

• close attention to performance, catching the smallest shifts in sound or feel before they became costly problems.

Nearly three decades later, Sparks Lumber's Volvo L120C still strongly runs. The loader's body has logged 59,000 hours and, with its second engine surpassing 29,000 hours, it continues to perform in daily operations, a staggering achievement in an industry where most machines of its age have long since been retired.

Most wheel loaders have an average lifespan of 10 years, or 7,000–12,000 hours. With diligent maintenance, many can reach 12,000–15,000 hours before major overhauls are needed. Surpassing 20,000 hours is exceptional, even for top-tier brands, making Sparks Lumber's Volvo L120C truly remarkable.

For an equipment owner, every extra hour of reliable service is time not spent on costly downtime or replacement. In an industry where a new wheel loader can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, extending the useful life of a machine is one of the smartest financial decisions a company can make.

For operators, it means more than just cost savings, including:

• Reliability: A well-cared-for machine doesn't surprise owners with breakdowns mid-shift.

• Safety: Preventive maintenance keeps hydraulics, brakes and critical systems functioning properly.

• Productivity: Operators can trust the machine to perform consistently, without hesitation.

• Pride: There's a unique satisfaction for operators running a machine that's lasted decades because of the care they've put into it.

In short, Sparks Lumber's Volvo L120C is proof that disciplined preventive maintenance directly translates into lower ownership costs, higher uptime and greater overall lifetime value (LTV).

"From a service standpoint, loaders of this age and with this many hours are usually parked in the back lot or scrapped," said David Sanson, service manager of Ascendum Machinery. "The fact that it's still working daily is almost unheard of, and that comes down to the discipline Jamie [Dotson] had in caring for it."