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.
![Image](/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/timeline_0006_Layer-6.jpg)
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Prohibition was repealed and J.E. Boswell entered into the family business - TW Boswell and Son - manufacturing bourbon and wine staves.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.
![Image](/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/large-TQ-GTA-Cooperage-_resized450x300.jpg)
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.
![Image](/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/TN-Land-blog-600x800-1-_resized450x300.jpg)
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.