We've Made it Our Mission

To craft world-class oak barrels and other cooperage products so our employees, customers and communities flourish.

A Growing Heritage


It's been over 100 years since our founding, and Independent Stave Company continues to evolve thanks to a commitment to quality and innovation, our dedicated associates, and a continual interest in collaborating with distillers and winemakers around the world.

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A Growing Heritage

It's been over 100 years since our founding, and Independent Stave Company continues to evolve thanks to a commitment to quality and innovation, our dedicated associates, and a continual interest in collaborating with distillers and winemakers around the world.

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    1912

    TW Boswell founded TW Boswell Stave Company, a stave mill supplying white oak staves for cooperage.

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    1919

    Due to prohibition. TW shifted his attention to non-alcoholic cooperage, such as fruit and salted meat barrels.

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    1920

    TW Boswell owned and brokered for 36 stave and saw mills in operation across the Midwestern and Southern states.

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    1933

    Prohibition was repealed and J.E. Boswell entered into the family business - TW Boswell and Son - manufacturing bourbon and wine staves.

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    1936

    Company renamed Independent Stave Company to reflect the company's position as the premier stave mill facility not owned by a distillery, brewery or winery.

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    1950s

    J.E. founded the family’s first cooperage in Lebanon, Missouri.

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    1980s

    John Boswell became CEO of Independent Stave Company and greatly expanded production, establishing multiple cooperages.

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    1990

    Oak Solutions Group enters the oak alternative industry producing premium oak products and providing expert advice to the wine and spirits industries.

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    1990s

    To ensure a high-quality supply of French oak, John established the family’s first international subsidiary, a stave mill in the Vosges region of northeastern France – Merrain International

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    1999

    Missouri Mulch is created to manufacture and distribute decorative mulch, wood chips, and compost with the byproducts from stave and barrel production.

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    2000s

    The Boswell's developed barrel production on four continents to meet the growing demand of oak worldwide.

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    2001

    A creative French cooperage blending savoir-faire and contemporary expertise, Tonnellerie Quintessence is built in the heart of Bordeaux wine country.

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    2004

    Heinrich Cooperage is purchased amongst the rolling hills and vineyards of Australia’s famous Barossa Valley. They produce premium quality American oak barrels.

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    2005

    A Tonnellerie Quintessence cooperage is built in Santiago, Chile to provide onsite service to customers in South America.

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    2010s

    Independent Stave Company continues to grow building new stave mills in Morehead and Benton, Kentucky.

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    2016

    Tonnellerie du Monde, subsidiary of Independent Stave Company, partners with an artisan Burgundian cooperage, Tonnellerie Tremeaux.

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    2017

    Brad Boswell is named CEO. He continues to build a company with a commitment to be trustworthy, respectful, and fair with our employees and customers.

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    August 2017

    Independent Stave Company invests in Kentucky Bourbon Barrel, known for high-quality used bourbon and whiskey barrels.

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    May 2019

    Independent Stave Company begins purchasing timber, starting with 3,000 acres in Tennessee

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    November 2019

    Kentucky Bourbon Barrel South opens in Lebanon, Kentucky.

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    2021

    Kentucky Bourbon Barrel – Ireland opens in Newbridge, Co. Kildare.

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    2022

    Commonwealth Cooperage opens in Morehead, Kentucky. Stevenson and Jackson mills are acquired.

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    March 2023

    Independent Stave Company adds luxury French barrel brand Maison Moussie to portfolio of wine barrel brands.

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    August 2023

    Batesville Mill in Arkansas opens and Independent Stave Company acquires Clifton Mill.

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    November 2023

    Independent Stave Company acquires oak alternatives brand Innerstave.
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    May 2024

    Jack Daniel Cooperage in Trinity, AL is acquired from Brown-Forman. It is renamed Alabama Cooperage.