| Tidewater Equipment Company began in 1947 as a manufacturer of timber harvesting equipment such as the “wheel saw” (the precursor to the chain saw) and other devices and machines. Charles Whittle, the company’s founder, established the company in response to a need to move timber from the woods to the mill. Under Whittle’s leadership, the company quickly became an early leader in the mechanization of timber harvesting.
Times changed and other companies were developing other equipment. Tidewater became a distributor of equipment made by Bombadier, and soon after, of equipment manufactured by Franklin Equipment Company. By the 1980s, Tidewater had moved completely from manufacturing to distribution and had grown from a single office location in Brunswick, Georgia to nine offices in Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Florida.
Three men were instrumental during the time of Tidewater’s major growth and development: Tom Morgan (Thomas Gillis Morgan Jr.), Ken Trowbridge Jr., and Ben Reavis, who acquired the company from Whittle’s widow after Charles passed away. Determined to adhere to Charles Whittle’s founding philosophy of offering exceptional customer service as well as taking care of the employees, the three men took on leadership roles and made stronger a company they believed in.
Morgan, Trowbridge and Reavis are no longer involved in the business, but all three have been succeeded by the next generation. Two sons and a son-in-law are actively involved in today's Tidewater. The business has also continued to expand its product offerings. Tidewater is now the largest dealer for Tigercat Industries. It is also one of the largest CTR skidder dealers in the US. The company remains committed to its customers, its suppliers and the logging industry. |
