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.
1912
TW Boswell founded TW Boswell Stave Company, a stave mill supplying white oak staves for cooperage.
1919
Due to prohibition, T.W. shifted his attention to non-alcoholic cooperage such as fruit and salted meat barrels. 
1920
TW Boswell owned and brokered for 36 stave and saw mills in operation across the Midwestern and Southern states. 
1933
Prohibition was repealed and J.E. Boswell entered into the family business - TW Boswell and Son - manufacturing bourbon and wine staves. 
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. 
1950s
J.E. founded the family's first cooperage in Lebanon, Missouri. 
1980s
John Boswell became CEO of Independent Stave Company and greatly expanded production, establishing multiple cooperages. 
1990
Oak Solutions Group enters the oak alternative industry producing premium oak products and providing expert advice to the wine and spirits industries. 
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. 
1999
Missouri Mulch is created to fully utilize oak used in barrel making, manufacturing and distributing decorative mulch, wood chips and compost. 
2000s
The Boswell's developed barrel production on four continents to meet the growing demand of oak worldwide. 
2001
A creative French cooperage blending savoir-faire and contemporary expertise, Tonnellerie Quintessence is built in the heart of Bordeaux wine country. 
2004
Heinrich Cooperage is purchased amongst the rolling hills and vineyards of Australia’s famous Barossa Valley. They produce premium quality American oak barrels. 
2005
A Tonnellerie Quintessence cooperage is built in Santiago, Chile to provide onsite service to customers in South America. 
2010s
Independent Stave Company continues to grow building two new stave mills in Kentucky. 
2016
Tonnellerie du Monde, subsidiary of Independent Stave Company, partners with an artisan Burgundian cooperage, Tonnellerie Tremeaux. 
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. 
August 2017
Independent Stave Company invests in Kentucky Bourbon Barrel, known for high-quality used bourbon and whiskey barrels. 
May 2019
Independent Stave Company began purchasing timber, starting with 3,000 acres in Tennessee. 
November 2019
Kentucky Bourbon Barrel – South opens in Lebanon, KY 
2021
Kentucky Bourbon Barrel – Ireland opens in Newbridge, Co. Kildare 
December 2022
Commonwealth Cooperage opens in Morehead, Kentucky. It is the third domestic new barrel cooperage for Independent Stave Company.