OUR HISTORY
The history of the Charlois group took root in the middle of the 17th century in the Bertranges forest, with the stave* maker Jacques Charlois.
In 1928, after eight generations of working in the forest, Eugène Charlois established a wood splitting mill at Murlin – the Maison Charlois.
Situated in the heart of the Nivernais, deep in the largest oak forests of France, the company contributed to the preservation of this gem which contains the finest oaks in France. It specialised in the selection of oaks, the crafting and natural seasoning of staves with respect for good forestry practices**.
Whilst resolutely in step with the modern era, the Charlois Group, created by Sylvain Charlois in 2005, preciously preserves historic family values and skills.
Since its creation the Group has diversified into a range of complementary activities all with oak and the forest as their focus. An arborescence of skills that fall into two broad categories :
OAK COLLECTION brings together houses linked to forest, inheritage, art and culture ad well-being.
OAK NATION, as a key player in the world of prestigious cooperages, brings together all the professions upstream and downstream of barrel production, such as forestry, sawmilling, stave production and seasoning, parquetry, cooperage, large cask making, valorization and recycling of used oak barrels, production of oak products for winemaking, transportation & logistics and engineering. OAK NATION also incorporates a specialized laboratory in agri-food industries and a Research and Innovation department.
Since 2005, in doubling its average turnover every five years, the Charlois Group has pursued its development in the wine and cognac cooperage markets, both in France and around the world.
Incited by the nobility of oak, the group also diversified by investing in the realm of luxury, with the creation of the La Chênaie, a brand of cosmetics made using a patented oak extract, and by integrating the market of original constructions in wood.
In 2018, Sylvain Charlois created the Charlois Foundation for Art and the Forest, to develop and promote art, culture, and heritage in relation to the forest, its trades, traditions and values.
Since 2021, the Charlois Group has expanded through strategic partnerships and joint ventures, notably with Hennessy and Martell. In addition, the group has also initiated a process of diversification into the cooperage market for whisky and that of bourbon.
In 2024, with the acquisition of Graf Borthers, Charlois reproduces in the United States its strong model of vertical integration in Europe, where the group is already the number one buyer of oak in France and Romania. With this structuring operation, the largest in its history, Charlois continues its development in the highly dynamic high-end spirits market.
* High quality oak cut into lengths for the manufacture of oak barrels
** All science, art and activities relating to the protection, development, management and creation of the forests.
Our milestones
stavemaker
The oldest genealogical records of the Charlois family show that Jacques Charlois was a stave-maker, and all his direct descendants exercised the same trade.
Creation of Maison Charlois by Eugène Charlois who establishes a stave workshop in Murlin.
Denis Charlois takes over the business on the death of his father Eugène and progressively makes it one of the leading fabricants of staves, helped by his two eldest sons, Lionel et Xavier, who joined him in the middle of the eighties.
Sylvain Charlois joins his father and brothers Lionel and Xavier in the family business as cutting clerk
Aquisition of the family business by Sylvain Charlois and founding of the CHARLOIS Group.
4 Companies
50 Employees
15 M€ Turnover
Creation of Oak Collection, dedicated to the houses linked to the forest, inheritage, art and culture and the well-being.
Between 2005 and 2010, the Charlois Group develops upstream with the acquisition of the Malviche sawmill, and downstream through the acquisition of Tonnellerie Berthomieu.
7 Companies
120 Employees
30 M€ Turnover
Between 2010 and 2015, The Group pursues its development with the acquisition of the Saury Group (Saury, Leroi and Érable cooperages) thus diversifying into the cooperage market for cognac through Leroi, formerly the Martell cooperage. It establishes itself on the American continent with the acquisition of Winemakers Cooperage in California.
14 Companies
300 Employees
60 M€ Turnover
Creation of OAK NATION, reuniting all the trades in connection with cooperage.
Creation of the Charlois Foundation for Art and the Forest.
Diversification with the creation of La Chênaie and the acquisition of La Cabane Perchée.
Between 2015 and 2020, the Group accelerates its presence internationally with acquisitions in Spain, the United States, and Romania, and also in France, notably with the acquisition of the Nadalié group.
35 Companies
800 Employees
120 M€ Turnover
Acquisition of the Doreau Group in a joint venture held for 51% by Oak Nation and 49% by Hennessy.
Diversification into the cooperage market for whisky with the acquisition of 51% of Oakwood Cooperage in Scotland.
Diversification into the cooperage market for bourbon with the acquisition of the Kelvin Cooperage in Kentucky, in the United States.
Creation of a joint venture held for 51% by Oak Nation and 49% by Martell.
Acquisition of Graf Brothers in the United States, the world’s leading producer of American quarter-sawn and rift-sawn oak, specializing in the transformation of Quercus Alba into exceptional quality strips, very high-end parquet flooring and staves for wine and bourbon.
Between 2020 and 2025, Charlois strengthens its leading position in the cognac cooperage market and reinforces its international development through new acquisitions in Scotland and the United States, thus diversifying into the whisky cooperage market, followed by the bourbon cooperage market. These operations also enabled Charlois to develop its used oak barrel recovery and recycling business, thereby extending the life cycle of its products. Furthermore, they provide an opportunity for Charlois to replicate its vertically integrated European model in the United States, consolidating its value chain from forest to final product.
43 Companies
1 300 Employees, with over 50% located outside of France.
350 M€ Turnover
Organizational chart
Our companies in France
Murlanium – Fonds Charlois pour l’Art et la Forêt – La Ferme des Bertranges – Charlois Cosmétiques – L’Auberge des Bertranges – Maison Charlois – Nièvre Merrain – Les Ateliers du Chêne – Tonnellerie Berthomieu/Ermitage – Tonnellerie La Grange – Tonnellerie de Marsannay – Œnosylva – Saveurs – Technoak – Laboratoire Exact
Merrain & Compagnie – Oak Collection – Oak Nation – Oak Forest Club