Our commitment to bring even better barrels to the wine and spirits industries continues with ongoing research and experiments with industry experts and top winemakers and master distillers. Independent Stave Company has invested millions of dollars in research and development. We work in close harmony with Dr. James Swan of R.R. Tatlock and Thomson, our research consultant. As a result of this research, we are breaking new ground in barrel maturation, gaining barrel consistency and widening our customers' choice.

Please Email us to learn more about Independent Stave Company's ongoing research and development. We also offer a listing of "White Papers" about specific research topics. To reach Dr. Swan directly, please contact him at drjimswan@btconnect.com.

Dr. Jim Swan is associated with R.R. Tatlock and Thomson, an independent UK based international consultancy with over 100 years of service to the Wine, Distilling, Brewing and Water industries. He graduated from the Heriot Watt University in Chemistry and later gained a PhD in Biological Sciences from the same university. He has over 20 years of experience in technical consultancy and his particular areas of expertise are maturation in oak wood, product quality, blending and sensory evaluation. He is the author of over 12 scientific papers.

Since 1985, he has managed a series of UK and European funded research programs into barrel maturation and warehousing valued at over $3M. These have included the development of oak wood and seasoning specifications for spirits maturation, the discrimination between air and kiln seasoned wood and the influence of maturation environment of flavor development. The latest involves the development of techniques for product profiling of wines.

In conjunction with Independent Stave Company, he is undertaking projects aimed at extending the product range available for wine maturation and generally to develop a deeper understanding of the factors which control matured quality and cost effectiveness in barrel maturation.

David Llodrá joins the World Cooperage research team as R&D Director. Llodrá (pronounced yo-dra) holds a Bachelor of Science in Viticulture and Enology from UC-Davis and an Agricultural Engineering degree from Escuela Universitaria de Ingenieros Tecnicos Agricolas in Valencia, Spain. He has six years of comprehensive experience in winemaking, cellar and lab operations as well as consulting. He will focus his energy on product development, chemistry, testing, market trends and liaising with production and sales. Additionally, he will refine products and processes to take oak alternatives to the next level.

Llodrá will work closely with oak maturation expert Dr. James Swan. “I’m thrilled to work at World Cooperage, leader in oak research for the beverage industry,” states Llodrá. “It’s a progressive company that truly cares about its customers and the products they’re crafting. My diverse experience and knowledge will be a great asset to better serve the needs of our customers. ”