COE Press Equipment was started in 1976 by John COE, with $500 and the idea of selling rebuilds, used equipment, accessories, and parts to the metal stamping industry. When a customer asked for a new coil feed line, John took this opportunity and hired two employees to help on the project. The success of this line established COE as a provider of a higher quality machine with innovative features, with the company then launching its own line of servo feed controls and customized packages.

Moving to the current Sterling Heights location in 1980, the company continued to grow organically as well as by purchasing certain assets and product designs from Sesco, Inc., a coil processing company originally established in 1938. COE maintained its leadership position in the industry by continually looking for ways to improve equipment performance. Research and development are embedded within the COE culture as the company continually look for ways to improve customer operations through enhanced product offerings. From being the first to introduce a Kevlar non-stretch timing belt drive in 1982 to launching the first PLC controls with automated setup and simulation capabilities in 2020, COE has continued its heritage or performance.