The Independent Stave Company broke ground on a $66.5 million cooperage in Rowan County Tuesday morning.

The new business, Commonwealth Cooperage, will manufacture barrels for bourbon distilleries.

Brad Boswell is the CEO of Independent Stave.  He says the company came to the region for the trees. To listen to his statement, click here.

The new cooperage is being built next to the National Guard armory on Kentucky 801.  The project is expected to create 220 jobs in Rowan County. It is expected to be operational by July 2021.