Waterloo Container participates in many regional and national industry tradeshows!   

We attend these events to learn about the latest trends and offerings in the industry. This helps us learn what new items you will be looking for in the coming year. We also exhibit at many meetings and shows. Having a booth at a tradeshow gives us an opportunity to show off our product and services. We also enjoy meeting our current and future clients and catching up with you in our booth! 

Please plan to visit our booth at any of these tradeshows:

Ohio Grape & Wine 2/18 - 2/19

Embassy Suites - Dublin, OH

Booth #11

B.E.V. NY 2/27 - 3/1

RIT Convention Center - Rochester, NY

Table TBD

Eastern Winery Expo 3/19 - 3/21

Syracuse Convention Center - Syracuse, NY

Booth #512

Fingerlakes Craft Beverage 3/26

Del Lago Resort - Waterloo, NY

Table TBD

Craft Brewers Conference 4/8 - 4/11

Convention Center - Denver, CO

Booth #4103

First up is Ohio Grape and Wine! Stop by and talk to George and Joe at the Sit Sip and Learn preview day on February 17!

Be our guest: Ask us about EWE show passes or free entry code!

Waterloo Container is nearing completion on a new building. The facility houses inbound and outbound sales for the company as well as a new training space. Training will be provided to Waterloo customers through the facility. The company wants the wine community to know how imperative these trainings and education within their industry can be.

To start, Waterloo plans on bringing in specialists who can train customers in everything from enclosures to glass to labeling and packaging. With nearly 4500 customers relying on Waterloo Container, the company has long been interested in investing in the development of the industry. Part of their new building is a large conference room for trainings. The room will be equipped with the latest technology including flat screen TVs to aid in presentations.

Congressman Tom Reed recently visited Waterloo Container to tour the new facility. While on his tour, the Congressman saw the company’s Seneca County warehouses, which cover about 250,000 square feet and house the many supplies that are the lifeblood of the New York State wine industry.

“There is so much more to the wine industry than sitting on your deck with a glass of Riesling in hand,” says Togo DeBellis, executive vice president of sales and marketing at Waterloo Container. “We wanted to invite the Congressman to see the inner workings of Waterloo Container, and experience all of the steps we take behind the scenes.”

The wine industry is one of largest tourism draws that New York State has to offer. With more than 100 wineries, the Finger Lakes wine region alone is the largest wine producing region in the country – east of California. Adding that to wine produced throughout the state, it is easy to see how tourism dollars are dependent on the visitors this industry brings in. According to the New York Wine & Grape Foundation, “The New York grape, grape juice and wine industry generates more than $4.8 billion in economic benefits annually for New York State. 1,631 family vineyards... 373 wineries... 175,000,000 bottles of wine... $408 million in state and local taxes…”  Our economy thrives from the several thousand people who are employed because of wine production.

In its 34^th year of serving the wine community, Waterloo Container is owned by Bill and Annette Lutz, who started the company in 1980. It remains one of the only family-owned and operated suppliers of the wine industry left in business. It is this history and deep ties to the local wine region that inspires the Lutzes and Waterloo Container to keep on giving back.

Waterloo Container’s support of the wine industry in New York State is plentiful, as they continue to show year after year. This year, the container company worked toward opening the training facility to support the local wine industry in educational trainings, industry development, and events that continue to showcase the New York State wine industry and the Finger Lakes Wine Region.

Wine education has always been a top priority for Waterloo Container. Over the years, they have invested in local symposiums, wine festivals, and programs that encourage the development of the region and help produce new products and varietals of wines. For example, Waterloo Container is a primary supporter of the “Wine Symposium of the Finger Lakes,” and the Winestock NY event – both held in Geneva, N.Y. each year. In 2013, the company gave a significant contribution to a grassroots program called NY Wine Spotting that aims to boost the number of New York wines on area restaurant lists. They also work alongside Cornell and its Cooperative Extension Program, investing in the college’s experimental station. This aids in the development of new grape vines, giving area winemakers new and fresh flavors to work with.

The training facility will help the wine industry grow by educating area wine producers about all of the elements that go into putting a bottle of wine on the shelf.

At the 16^th annual Finger Lakes International Wine Competition, wines from around the world are judged on their aroma, taste and finish. A new award judges another component of the wine: the package it comes in. Created by Waterloo Container in 2015, the Packaging Award recognizes excellence in packaging among the competition’s top wines in 8 categories.

“The wines inside these bottles are award-winning,” says Togo DeBellis, executive vice president of sales and marketing at Waterloo Container. “Our judges are looking for a package that conveys that to the consumer. The package is often the only information a customer has when picking out a wine for the first time.”

Wines are evaluated on their innovation and package design, including container, label, closure and shelf impact. The award was given to two wineries in seven of the competition categories: Merlot, Riesling, Cabernet, Ice Wine, Cab Franc, Fruit Wine and Chardonnay. To be eligible for the award, packaging must have been manufactured in the U.S. or Canada. A team of judges included marketing professionals, packaging manufacturers and Waterloo Container employees.  

Winners of the Packaging Award:

Category: Cabernet

Double Gold: Magnotta Winery, Cabernet Sauvignon Limited Edition VQA 2013

Gold: Goose Ridge Vineyards, Goose Ridge Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon

Category: Merlot

Double Gold: Trinchero Family Estates, Merlot - 2014 Menage a Trois

Gold: Falcor Wine Cellars, LLC, Merlot

Category: Fruit Wine

Double Gold: Buddy Boy Winery & Vineyard, Miss Pissy Pants

Gold: Living Sky Winery, Juliette Port Style

Category: Chardonnay

Double Gold: Penrod Ricard Winemakers, Jacob's Creek Reserve Adelaide Hills Chardonnay

Gold: Black Birch Vineyard, Chardonnay

Category: Ice Wine

Double Gold: Ferrante Winery, Vidal Blanc Ice Wine

Gold: Grand River Cellars, Vidal Blanc Ice Wine

Category: Cab Franc

Double Gold: Merriam Vineyards, Cabernet Franc Windacre Vineyard

Gold: Cross Keys Vineyards, Cabernet Franc

Category: Riesling

Double Gold: Ferrante Winery, Riesling

Gold: St. James Winery, Riesling

Category: Sparkling

Double Gold: Glenora Wine Cellars, Brut

Gold: Swedish Hill, Riesling Cuvee

The Finger Lakes International Wine Competition was held at the Rochester Plaza Hotel & Conference Center and is the world’s largest charitable wine competition, benefiting Camp Good Days. On March 19and 20 the competition hosted 73 judges from 23 countries around the world who evaluated 3,824 wines, with awards given in 8 categories. 

Waterloo, NY, January 16, 2018– Michael Mattia has joined Waterloo Container as Vice President of Operations.  Michael comes to Waterloo Container after a 25year career with Constellation Brands, most recently serving as their Director of Procurement. He brings experience in supplier management, new product development and a proven track record of success in the alcoholic beverage industry. Michael earned his BBA from Saint Bonaventure University.

“My business philosophy is based on a sharing of information to insure our co-workers, customers and suppliers are working toward a common goal and mutual success.” – Michael Mattia, VP Operations

“We are excited to welcome Michael to our growing company.  His vast experience and knowledge in the wine industry will be utilized to enhance our ability to source new products and packaging and to further develop relationships with our larger customer accounts.” – Bill Lutz, President and Owner Waterloo Container Company. 

About Waterloo Container: Waterloo Container is a family-owned and operated business started in 1980 by Norm and Bill Lutz to support the burgeoning wine industry in the Finger Lakes of New York and on the East Coast.  Today, we offer an extensive selection of glass wine and spirits bottles manufactured right here in the United States.  We also stock and source many imported wine, spirit and specialty bottles.  Our vendor partners have been extremely influential in our success and we are proud to work with the best in the industry for glass, corks and closures.  We offer a personalized packaging program that includes services like eight color UV ink glass printing and high-speed shrink sleeving.   We also provide in-house repacking, quality select and warehousing for our customers and employ our own fleet of trucks and skilled drivers. We take pride in being a reliable provider of the highest quality glass containers and packaging products available. We are proud to have been an integral part of the wine and craft beverage industry’s growth in Eastern North America. We look forward to continuing to grow together over the years to come.

Waterloo Container is proud to offer state-of-the-art printed glass service. We use Servo technology which is much faster and more accurate than manual methods. This single-pass UV inking process provides registration accuracy, durability and quality. Eight color printing helps you stand out from the competition. We currently offer bottle printing on our most popular beer, wine and champagne bottles with a turnaround time of only 10 days (after art proof approval).

Waterloo Container is proud to introduce our new website. 

Same web address... all new look!  More inclusive information on our products and services! 

Check out www.Waterloocontainer.com today!

Our new site offers access to our one stop package shop and can help you brand your package and create a look deserving of your hard work. Browse our extensive product selection which includes everything from glass wine, beer and spirits bottles to closures & boxes.  Check out our web pages to see all of our service offerings from inventory management to colorful custom glass printing to delivery services!  Download a catalog of your favorites with a helpful forecast worksheet to organize your shopping experience. Find everything you need to start your project today, and with our fast-from-stock availability many of our most popular products are ready for immediate shipment to you!

Waterloo Container would like to welcome George Hall to our sales force in the position of Territory Sales Manager. George will be serving customers in the Finger Lakes and Northeast Pennsylvania. He brings more than 25 years of customer focused sales experience to our team. 

George is sure to be a valuable assett, having moved to us after a successful career in Corporate Employee Benefits where he helped Trusted Advisors build their businesses throughout New York State.George plans to achieve the same success here, using his collaborative style to help you grow your business profitability while developing trusting partnerships.

Waterloo Container is adding to our in-stock shipping supplies with a new Pulp shipper! Available in both 3 and 12 pack sizes these ISTA rated shippers help you get your DTC and Wine Club shipments out the door and to your customers with guaranteed reliability. No waiting - and No MOQ's!

Call us at 315-539-3922 or contactus@waterloocontainer.com to get yours today!

Visit Waterloo Container at Booth #1230 at the Craft Brewers Conference in Nashville May 1-3 to get in on some great show specials!  See our newest craft beer bottles and get information on glass printing, sleeving and package customization options that we have in house for you!

Four NEW special offers this week! 

Check out our Special Offers page on waterloocontainer.com where we offer closeouts, overstocks, sales and showcase new products.

Our Specials are updated often so check back frequently!

Need a cider, sparkling or brew bottle? Waterloo Container has many colors and sizes of still and pressure rated bottles in stock. Make sure you are using the correct bottle and closure for your product! Call one of our friendly Customer Service Reps today to get your bottles on the way to you!  315-539-3922

Waterloo, NY, October 9, 2018– Waterloo Container is pleased to announce an expansion project which includes a 36,000 square foot addition to the main office and warehouse location at 2311 Route 414.

“Our expansion is indicative of the health and growth of the wine, spirits and craft beverage industries in the area, which we are proud to support.  The additional jobs will benefit the community and our additional space will allow us to offer enhanced services and a more comprehensive in-stock selection.” – Bill Lutz, President and Owner Waterloo Container Company

This project commenced earlier this fall and is expected to be completed by the end of this year.  Footers and steel beams are being placed and over 400 cubic yards of cement has been poured as of Monday October 8. Waterloo Container supplies packaging materials including glass bottles, caps, closures to the wine, spirits and craft beverage industries throughout the United States and Canada. The new building will allow expansion and reconfiguration of Waterloo Container’s massive glass bottle and packaging supply inventory.  This inventory movement will create space for the addition of a second state of the art re-pack line (which moves bulk glass into convenient individual cases) and for continued growth of a high speed shrink sleeving applicator and tunnel.

“Waterloo Container is excited to be growing to meet the needs of our growing client base and looks forward to being able to offer additional jobs in the community and enhanced services to our customers” says CEO Rich Swinehart.

In addition to the structural additions, there have been recent upgrades to network infrastructure.  These improvements will help customer service representatives access information more quickly and allow us to get the bottles, caps and closure orders placed with even greater accuracy.  Wiring, switches and servers have been enhanced and there are added software programs to improve the way we handle requests and manage information flow in and out of the building.  New security solutions have been added to protect our customers’ information as well as our own.

IT manager Chris Plate says “We have made a lot of great improvements and plan to keep up with technological advances as they present themselves”.

Put together a perfect pairing and enhance your seasonal sales with our tasteful and sturdy kraft 2pk Holiday Carrier. In Stock and ready to ship. 

Call any of our friendly customer service reps today to order! 888-539-3922.

Waterloo Container takes pride in partnering with only the best in the closures industry.  We are happy to announce we are now offering co-injected 19.5mm synthetic bartop closures by Supercap.  Supercap is a global closure manufacturer with an impressive brand portfolio.  They have been innovating the closure business since 1999.  Supercap is also BRC (Global Standard for Packaging & Packaging Materials) certified.

We want you to try these Supercap samples in your own facility, as we want our customers to feel confident that this new product satisfies your quality and fit requirements.  Please call our Customer Service team at 315-539-3922 to get a free sample bag today!

You've already told us you love our 5540X pressure rated 750ml bottle. Now love it even more in a striking Champagne Green color perfect for your next fizzy concoction!

Waterloo Container proudly offers this unique pressure rated bottle starting February 15!

Bottle Spec:

• Height: 11.625 in [295.28mm]
• Diameter: 3.203 in [81.36mm]
• Weight: 16.50 oz [467.82g]
• Pressure Rating: 3 Volumes Max Carbonation

Call to get yours!

315-539-3922

www.waterloocontainer.com

Referene Item #1001356C

Timing is everything, they say. It certainly was for Bill Lutz, president and owner of Waterloo Container.

The company he created with his father, Norm began by circumstance. They were in the warehousing business when one of their clients, a California wine bottle company, closed. The father-son team bought the inventory and started selling it to existing winery customers in the Northeast.

“It was initially only to use up some inventory that we were purchasing,” said Bill Lutz, “but then it became a real, needed asset in the area.”

In 1980, when Waterloo Container was founded, New York’s wine industry was starting to take off. The passage of the New York Farm Winery Act in 1976—allowing small wineries to sell their wines directly to consumers, and not just to wholesalers—kindled explosive growth in the industry.

That year, there were 19 wineries in the state; 12 of those were in the Finger Lakes. Today, the Finger Lakes is the largest wine-producing region in the state, with over 130 wineries.

As the industry has grown, Waterloo Container has too. It is now the largest stocking distributor of wine bottles in Eastern North America.

From grape and grain to bottle

Waterloo Container’s customer base has grown from 50 to 5,000. It also supplies bottles and closures to craft brewers and distillers, in addition to wineries.

Locally, customers include well-known names such as Glenora Wine Cellars, Bully Hill Vineyards and Swedish Hill Winery.

As a family-owned company employing 53 people, Waterloo Container is known for its personal service. While many customers buy truckloads of bottles, the company is also able to sell as few as one case, said CEO Rich Swinehart.

“We have many large customers, we have thousands of small customers, and we try to treat them all equally,” he said. “We’re known for service above all else.”

In addition to stocking domestic and imported glass bottles, Waterloo Container can also create a custom mold of a bottle and send it to be manufactured. It is one of the few companies in the industry to work with American manufacturers to purchase and make its products.

As the variety of wines has grown, so too has the range of bottles and packaging. At one time, Lutz explained, customers could choose among 10 different bottles. Today, there are upward of 500 options, in different shapes and colors.

New introductions over the last several years have included synthetic corks, screw cap bottles and packaging such as printed bottles (with the label printed directly on the glass). As a result, Waterloo Container is producing a lot more items to meet consumer demand.

Leading the way by putting customers first

Swinehart, a former Seneca County District Attorney, joined Waterloo Container in 2013 after doing legal work for the company as a private attorney.

“After a couple years, Bill suggested I consider working with him exclusively,” said Swinehart. “I’m having the time of my life. It’s a great family, it’s a great company, and they run the company like a large family.”

Bill’s wife, Annette is co-owner and part of the executive management team. They have three daughters whom they hope will join the company after college.

Many of Waterloo Container’s customers are family-owned businesses, too. The company has built a reputation as a trusted partner in their growth.

For example, start-up producers often can’t take on certain expenses, such as having a forklift and loading dock to take delivery of supplies.

So Bill and Norm helped develop a special closed trailer that could hold a moffett, or three-wheeled forklift, on the back to offload glass bottles from the truck to the customer.

“The industry really didn’t have anybody to service this type of business and to help with the growth,” said Lutz. “We did it from day one when we bought the right equipment we needed, and that’s really how the growth has taken off. There weren’t any companies like us that would carry the inventory and do the service work.”

The ideal place to grow its business

Being located in the Finger Lakes puts the company close to major metropolitan markets and gives it a competitive advantage.

“Our trucks can travel from here in the Finger Lakes to Toronto, Boston, Philadelphia and turn around and come back the same day,” said Swinehart. “This is where you want to be if you’re going to manufacture and distribute products for the East Coast.”

The company is planning to hire up to 20 new employees as it completes a 37,000-square-foot addition to its facility on State Route 414 in Waterloo. The expansion includes more warehousing space and the purchase of new packing machinery to improve the speed and efficiency of operations.

“In recent years, the company has grown more than I ever thought it could, and we’re looking to do even better in the coming years,” said Swinehart.

Lutz credits employees for the company’s impressive growth.

“It’s a testament to our employees,” he said. “Most of them are from the area and we enjoy hiring local people. The talent is here and these are the people who make the company what it is today.”

Waterloo Container has succeeded by staying true to its roots as a family business grounded in personal service, honesty and integrity.

“Most of the business, even today, is done with a handshake,” said Lutz. “We certainly have agreements with customers but for the most part, it’s done with a handshake and we move forward from there.”

Last year, the Finger Lakes was named America’s top wine region in a nationwide poll conducted by USA Today.

“It’s been amazing to see the growth in the wine industry,” said Lutz. “It’s billions of dollars in industry that’s grown in less than 30 years. I can remember 15 years ago, they said it was completely tapped out, and it’s tripled since then. The Finger Lakes has a lot more to give. We’re just thankful to be a part of it.”

By:Krista Gleason

Krista Gleason is a contributor to the LOCATE FINGER LAKES Business Journal. She is a freelance writer and owner of Gleason Writes in the beautiful Finger Lakes.

Waterloo Container now has a 500ml pressure rated bottle just perfect for your sparkling project!  Get the Amber colored Celebration bottle today! Bottle is designed for use with crown or cork and comes in tablock brown kraft box.

Call now to get your bottles on the way to you!  315-539-3922