Our history is one of entrepreneurial innovation. Since the day we were founded, we’ve found a way to satisfy our customers needs effectively and cost-efficiently, and we’ve done so time and time again for almost a century. Over the years we’ve evolved from a simple machine shop to one of the most respected downhole tool and service companies in the nation.
In 1933 Houston native B.J. Woolley set off to the booming oilfields near Kilgore, TX with only $100, a 1927 Chevrolet, and a dream. He founded Woolley Tool, a simple machine shop designed to take advantage of the boom’s need for high-quality machined parts. After only a month, Woolley Tool had begun turning a profit, and it continued to do so until the war.
Metal shortages and rationing during the war years made turning a profit in a machine shop quite a bit more difficult. Woolley Tool struggled until B.J. developed the idea to start taking defense contracts, so B.J. and his brother Kenneth founded Woolley Brothers Manufacturing in order to do just that.
The brothers bid for and eventually won a $1 million, 90-day manufacturing contract. The brothers worked hard to fulfill the bid, but as the deadline drew near, it became clear that they wouldn’t have enough time to manufacture the remaining 21 million parts they would need.
Undaunted and unwilling to fail, B.J. took another look at the part, their process for manufacturing it, and the tools they needed to do so. After doing so, he was able to rig up a machine to speed the process. It manufactured 160 parts per minute and, ultimately, helped them complete the project on schedule.
After the war, a second oil boom began and, spying yet another opportunity to expand his business, B.J. capitalized on it. He expanded the business to specialize in downhole operations and brought his son, Dan, into the business.
Father and son worked together and, as oilfield technologies advanced, they developed modern solutions, earning a reputation for innovation and leadership in an industry with hundreds of competitors.
When Dan’s son, J. Woolley, took over the company in 2010 oilfields were beginning to use horizontal and high-pressure drilling techniques. Fracking was becoming more and more frequent. J. Woolley made a sizable investment in these technologies and under his direction, Woolley Tool has been involved in almost every major oil play in the United States.
For almost a century, Woolley Tool has had our finger on the pulse of the oil & gas industry, and our dedication to finding and implementing innovative solutions has made us one of the most respected names in the business.
We combine our drive to innovate with a family approach to business. You won’t find a company as qualified to provide your downhole solutions and as dedicated to ensuring your satisfaction.
3300 Industrial Bldv.
Kilgore TX 75662
Phone: 903-984-3553
Fax: 903-984-3556
7980 NW Expressway
Okarche, OK 73762
Phone: 405-263-7540
Fax: 405-263-7561
