Bath County bourbon stave mill adding second shift

After one year of operation, Speyside Bourbon Stave Mill in Bath County is investing $114,000 in an expansion.

The facility, which makes parts used to create bourbon barrels, had 35 employees when it opened. It plans to add a second shift over the next three years, a move that will add 45 jobs.

The growth of the bourbon industry has fueled the expansion. “We want to be able to supply our bourbon distilleries with a product that they need,” says Maggie Anderson, who does project development for Speyside Bourbon Cooperage Inc., the mill’s parent company.

Speyside Bourbon Cooperage also plans to open a stave mill in Washington County in September, which will employ roughly 35 people. Additionally, the company anticipates opening a bourbon cooperage in Smyth County by early 2020. That facility will hire 150 people.

The company is eligible to receive up to $33,750 from the Virginia Jobs Investment Program (VJIP) for the Bath County expansion. VJIP provides consulting services and funding for employee training activities.

Speyside Bourbon Cooperage Inc. is part of France-based Tonnellerie François Frères Group. In addition to facilities in Virginia, the company has locations in Kentucky and Ohio.