Trossachs secures £1.3m to reignite coopering craft
A new coopering facility backed by a £1.3 million investment is to open in Stirlingshire, Scotland, bringing 12 jobs to the area and a renewed confidence in the sector.
Gary Drummond, a second-generation cooper with more than 18 years of experience, has founded Trossachs Cooperage. The business has secured premises that are currently undergoing a comprehensive fit-out on the Cambusmore Estate in Ballachallan ahead of operations beginning this month.
The cooperage will feature custom-built, state-of-the-art machinery, including a high-spec rejuvenation system with the latest safety features.
The facility has been built with sustainability at its core, and Trossachs says it is committed to achieving zero waste. All waste materials, from offcuts to sawdust, will be recycled, repurposed, or converted into firewood, which will be used in the traditional rejuvenation process.
The cooperage will also be powered by 100% renewable energy, drawn from both solar and wind sources, ensuring minimal environmental impact.
Trossachs Cooperage is working towards becoming a certified training hub and a member of the National Cooperage Federation.
The cooperage will deliver apprenticeship training, offering a customised SVQ Award.
The venture will recruit four apprentices. Drummond’s father – himself an experienced cooper – will be one of the experts mentoring the apprentices.
Furthermore, the cooperage will create 12 skilled local jobs in its first year. Four long-service coopers with more than 120 years of combined experience were the first to join the team.
Drummond, who cut his teeth at Diageo’s Carsebridge and Cambus cooperages, said: “The Scotch whisky industry is a pillar of Scotland’s food and drink economy, but coopering – a centuries-old craft – has faced serious challenges. Skills shortages and limited repair capacity have led to hundreds of thousands of casks being scrapped, which, if repaired and rejuvenated, could have gone back into circulation. Subsequently, distillers are forced to rely solely on costly first-fill casks.
“Trossachs Cooperage aims to reverse that trend by repairing, rejuvenating, and hardening oak casks to make them fit for fill – reducing waste, cutting costs, and lowering environmental impact. Our ethos is built on skills, sustainability, and Scottish craftsmanship, and we are incredibly proud to drive this forward from Callander.
“The support from our investment group, along with the strategic guidance from partners like Johnston Carmichael, has been instrumental in bringing our vision to life – especially at a time when investment and renewed confidence in the Scotch whisky sector are so vitally needed.”
A ‘valuable asset’ to the whisky industry
A Scottish investment group comprising business entrepreneurs with a proven track record, including directors Alan Wright and Tim Allan, has backed the business.
Wright brings extensive senior management experience from some of the whisky industry’s leading names, while Allan adds broad commercial insight through his roles as former president of the Scottish Chambers of Commerce and chair of V&A Dundee.
Adam Hardie, business development partner and head of food and drink at Johnston Carmichael, which played a pivotal role in identifying and connecting the right partners for the project, said: “Trossachs Cooperage is exactly the kind of entrepreneurial venture Scotland’s food and drink sector needs. With its ethos rooted in tradition, yet firmly focused on the future, it has been a pleasure to support Gary.
“The commitment to inspiring and shaping the next generation of coopers is remarkable. I have every confidence this business will quickly become a valuable asset to Scotland’s iconic whisky industry.”
Trossachs Cooperage has already attracted interest from multiple distillers and secured its first customer, The Borders Distillery, which will support the traditional rejuvenation process.
John Fordyce, managing director at The Borders Distillery, said: “Gary and the team have committed to reviving traditional rejuvenation methods for casks and we are delighted to be sending up our first batch ready for the opening. The initiative taken by Trossachs and the investors is forward-thinking and bold. It opens up opportunity for Borders and we are looking forward to our collaboration.”
Over time, Drummond plans to expand the facility to include a visitor centre and café, creating a space to celebrate Scotland’s coopering heritage while supporting local tourism and community engagement.
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