New American oak stave mill coming to Arkansas

BATESVILLE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — A state-of-the-art mill is coming to Arkansas as Impartial Stave Firm, a producer of high-quality oak barrels and cooperage merchandise, introduced building close to Batesville to provide staves for bourbon and wine barrels.

The corporate, which is the most important barrel maker on the planet, will make investments greater than $30 million within the facility and create roughly 60 new jobs, a press launch mentioned.

At present, Impartial Stave Firm operates six stave mills and three cooperages—with a fourth cooperage projected to open on the finish of 2022— all through the U.S. in addition to a mill and cooperages abroad.

“This has been an thrilling time as we proceed to put money into our present and new amenities to help our prospects and the expansion of the business,” mentioned Brad Boswell, CEO of Impartial Stave Firm. “This new stave mill can be our seventh home mill, and an vital addition permitting us to broaden our provide of high-quality American white oak.”

The discharge notes Arkansas has a “wealth of pure assets and uncooked supplies essential to manufacture cooperage merchandise.” In response to Impartial Steve, a stave is a slim size of wooden with a barely beveled edge used to make the barrels that distillers and winemakers use to age wine, bourbon, whiskey, and different spirits.

White oak, which is plentiful in Arkansas, is utilized in barrel staves as a result of white oak has confirmed to be the perfect for crafting a liquid-tight container.

“White oak is simply one of many 160 species of hardwoods grown within the state,” mentioned Secretary of Commerce Mike Preston. “Timber is significant to the Arkansas economic system. It contributes barely greater than 5 p.c of our economic system and employs greater than 27,700 individuals. With greater than 19 million acres of forestland within the state and a workforce that’s second to none, I’m assured that Impartial Stave Firm will discover the assets they want in Arkansas to proceed on the most recent path of their journey.”

Governor Asa Hutchinson additionally shared his ideas on the announcement, saying “I’m thrilled to welcome Impartial Stave Firm to Arkansas. As a family-owned firm, they embrace the identical values of Arkansans—household, innovation, group, and laborious work. I’m assured they are going to be a worthwhile enterprise accomplice to Batesville and Independence County.”

Chairman of Independence County Financial Growth Zachery E. Harber says the county is ready to help the corporate with website enhancements and workforce growth initatives through the transition.

Operations are deliberate to start on the finish of subsequent yr. For extra info, together with job alternatives, go to https://www.independentstavecompany.com/.