SilMan Signs New Cooperage Deal with Speyside

The Atkins, Virginia installation is fourth cooperage project for SilMan

San Leandro, Calif.: Speyside Bourbon Cooperage, Inc. has retained SilMan Industries to engineer and install a new cooperage plant at Speyside’s Atkins plant in Smyth County, Virginia.  This is the second cooperage installation for Speyside to be performed by SilMan.

“We are pleased to continue our relationship with Speyside,” said Tommy Ethridge, who leads SilMan’s Southern operations. “The project validates our continuing focus on our integrated Food and Beverage solutions,” Etheridge added.  “This project also continues to deepen SilMan’s footprint in the Southeast.”

SilMan has particular expertise in the Wine and Spirits sector.  Their Material Handling and Construction divisions have collaborated in cooperage projects for Jack Daniels and East Bernstadt Cooperage.  The company has also completed material handling projects for Stags Leap, Opus One Winery, and Woodbridge.

bourbon barrels in cooperage

Bourbon Barrels at Speyside Cooperage (www.speysidecooperageky.com)

Scope and Details of the Speyside project

  • Installation of Windlass machine and Stainless Ring Return with accompanying conveyance system
  • Mechanical and Electrical engineering
  • Controls systems: hardware, software, programming, and training

More about Speyside

According to a statement on Governor Northam’s website, the Atkins, Virginia project is one of two projects for Speyside in Virginia; a cooperage in Smyth County and a stave mill in Washington County.  The statement reveals that the projects are the result of public-private collaboration, including a grant from the State of Virginia.  They and are eligible to receive state benefits, including the Virginia Enterprise Zone Program, and Sales and Use tax exemptions on manufacturing equipment. The total investment for the two projects is estimated to be $35 million, and creates 160 new jobs.

Speyside Bourbon Cooperage, Inc. was founded in 1947 and is a subsidiary of Tonnellerie Francois Freres, a global wine and distillery company.

SilMan and the Cooperage Industry

For more information:  SilMan has a unique specialization with Cooperage facilities and has prepared a case study detailing the team’s cooperage manufacturing material handling system integration and installation portfolio. The article also includes general information about barrel-making.

About SilMan

SilMan Industries (previously SilMan Construction) is based in San Leandro, California. Founded in 2008, the firm operates nationwide in three divisions – Construction, Material Handling and Site Services – and partners with “best in class” companies in the Industrial, Manufacturing, Distribution, and Public Works sectors. For more information, please visit www.silmanindustries.com/about.