Kentucky bourbon has taken another hit as the economy and global trade conditions continue to prove challenging for the industry.
According to an Aug. 19 Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification, Kentucky Cooperage, a subsidiary of the family-owned Independent Stave Co. known for making staves, mulch and barrels, will lay off 112 employees from its Lebanon facility Oct. 19.
"Kentucky Cooperage has concluded that it, unfortunately, must significantly reduce its employment at its Lebanon manufacturing facility located at 712 E. Main St.," the letter stated.
The company could not be immediately reached for comment on the layoffs.
The WARN letter states that despite the layoffs, the entire plant will not be closed.
In April 2025, Louisville-based Brown-Forman Corporation, one of the leading global suppliers of bourbon and other distilled spirits, announced the closing of its famed Louisville cooperage, which was later sold in May for nearly $14 million, The Courier Journal previously reported. As of June, the company said it has "no plans to reopen" the former Brown-Forman cooperage.
More: Recently closed Brown-Forman cooperage in Louisville sold for nearly $14M. Here's what to know
Contact business reporter Olivia Evans at [email protected] or on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter at @oliviamevans_.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky Cooperage to lay off more than 100 employees
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