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Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

Speyside Bourbon Stave Mill Expands Bath County, Virginia, Manufacturing Center

04/19/2019
Speyside Bourbon Stave Mill in Virginia, Inc., a manufacturer of white oak staves and headers for bourbon barrels, will invest $114,000 to expand its manufacturing facility in Bath County, Virginia.

Speyside Bourbon Stave Mill in Virginia, Inc. is a subsidiary of Speyside Bourbon Cooperage, Inc., an offspring of Speyside Cooperage Ltd., which was founded in Scotland in 1947. Speyside’s Bath County specialty saw mill manufactures white oak staves and headers used in the production of bourbon barrels, using only the finest white oak sourced from Virginia. The company will add new equipment and a second shift to the operation, creating 45 new jobs.

In 2008, Speyside Cooperage was sold to the Tonnellerie François Frères Group, a publicly held company founded in 1910 and headquartered in France. The company operates stave mills and bourbon cooperages in the United States, with facilities in Kentucky, Ohio, and in Bath County, Smyth County, and Washington County, Virginia.

“We are pleased that our flagship facility in Virginia has performed so well, especially during its first year of operation,” said Jim McCoy, Manager of Speyside Bourbon Stave Mill in Virginia, Inc. “We appreciate the support we have received from the Commonwealth and are delighted to be bringing 45 additional new jobs to Bath County over the next three years.”

“After just one year of operation, Speyside Bourbon Stave Mill’s expansion in Bath County is evidence of the region’s strong manufacturing base and plentiful natural resources,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Brian Ball. “The company’s investment will further strengthen Virginia’s position as a leader in the wood products manufacturing industry, and we are committed to facilitating Speyside’s growth in the Commonwealth any way we can.”

“Speyside has quickly become one of our leading forest products industry partners in the Commonwealth,” said Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Bettina Ring. “Their use of Virginia white oak has created tremendous opportunities for forest landowners, and the fact that they continue to expand their operations here is a sign of their success and commitment to our forest products industry.”

“Speyside Bourbon Stave Mill’s decision to expand within its first year is an exciting win for Bath County and Virginia’s forestry industry, and the 45 high-quality jobs this project will bring demonstrate that manufacturing industry growth is happening in both urban and rural regions of our Commonwealth, ” said Governor Ralph Northam. “The company’s significant footprint across Virginia is a strong testament to our business climate, robust supply chain, and skilled workforce. We look forward to Speyside’s continued success in the Commonwealth, and thank the company for choosing to reinvest in Virginia.”

Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with Bath County to secure the project for Virginia and will support Speyside’s job creation through the Virginia Jobs Investment Program.

“We are very proud to have Speyside in our community,” said Chair of the Bath County Board of Supervisors Richard Byrd. “The addition of 45 new jobs is huge news for Bath County, and we are thankful to Governor Northam and VEDP for helping grow rural Virginia. The investment made by Speyside and VEDP is an investment in the future of Bath County.”

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