Herti, a leading European manufacturer of aluminum closures, is set to participate in the 22nd Annual Craft Spirits Conference & Vendor Expo hosted by the American Distilling Institute (ADI) in San Antonio, Texas. The event will take place on August 25–26, 2025, at the Henry B. González Convention Center, right in the heart of the city’s vibrant River Walk district. The ADI Conference is one of the most anticipated gatherings in the craft distilling world, featuring keynote speakers, workshops, and networking opportunities with industry leaders. Herti’s booth is expected to attract attention from distillers seeking innovative ways to elevate their packaging and brand identity. At the ADI Show, Herti will present its latest solutions tailored for the craft spirits industry, including customizable closures designed to enhance both branding and product integrity. With a growing presence in the U.S. market, Herti’s participation underscores its commitment

We asked Gemini and the AI answer was spot on. If you are anything like us, no doubt you’ve started to explore the various LLMs (Large Language Models) available to the public – Google’s Gemini, ChaptGPT, Perplexity, and others are changing the way people find and discover just about anything. And this is only the beginning. Some are saying that by 2028, 75% of all online revenue will be driven by LLM’s vs. search engines and Google reports that 1.5 billion users now regularly use AI Overviews. If you aren’t thinking about the strategy to maximize how your brands show up in LLMs, now is the time to start. We are in the same boat. Our engineering team has been working on AI solutions for a while now, with LLM top of mind. Because integrating it into the LibDib platform will put Makers in the drivers seat, enabling them to stay top of mind with Buyers and Consumers as the future of search value rapidly changes before our eyes. So, we recently decid

With heavy hearts and deep gratitude, we announce the passing of William E. “Bill” Gusmer. Bill graduated from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and served in the US Army Reserve. After working at Colgate Palmolive as an industrial engineer, Bill joined our business in 1956 as plant manager of Gusmer’s Woodbridge, New Jersey facility. Bill then assumed various corporate roles, and in 1961, was appointed president. Bill worked closely with his brother John, and together, they expanded the business and made several acquisitions. Their commitment and contributions enabled Gusmer Enterprises, Inc. to become a leading manufacturer and distributor of fermentation and filtration products for food, beverage, and biopharmaceutical applications. Bill wrote that he and John were most proud of upholding the company’s reputation as “honest, fair, and ethical,” principles established early on by their father Henry and his brother Aage, who foun

NAPA, Calif. (Feb. 17, 2025) – Cooperages 1912, a subsidiary of Independent Stave Company, is pleased to announce the appointment of Richard Shelton as Director of Sales and Operations for North America, South America, Australia, and Asia.  In this role, Shelton will oversee the day-to-day management and development of the North American wine barrel market and sales team headquartered in Napa, California. He will also be responsible for overseeing Cooperages 1912’s international subsidiaries in Australia, Chile, and Argentina, which include two wine barrel cooperages and finished barrel warehouses.  In addition, Shelton will supervise and direct the efforts of the R&D personnel and analytical laboratory located at the Cooperages 1912 Napa offices. This aspect of his role will help shape new product development strategy and execution, as well as brand development.  Born and raised in Texas, Shelton brings more than 15 years of experience in the wine i

Hello Scott Henry: A Second Chance for Troublesome Vines

How a widely dismissed trellising system can boost productivity and quality By Kathleen Willcox   Wine styles and production methods fall in and out of fashion: just consider the ubiquity, […]

Henry Halimi had certainly earned his retirement. Having achieved an impressive education in mathematics and mechanical engineering, and successful exits from multiple startups in his 45 years as a serial entrepreneur, Halimi had just sold Flo Technologies to Moen the plumbing-supply giant. Halimi co-founded Flo with his son Gabriel. Halimi owns multiple water technology patents and has sold millions of units through his inventions and innovative products, so going back to work didn’t really need to be high on his priority list. Lumo team install proprietary smart valve in a Sonoma County vineyard   But, when Lumo CEO Devon Wright knocked on his door and asked Halimi to join him and company CTO John Hinnegan at their new agtech company focused on water sustainability through improved irrigation efficiency, Halimi didn’t hesitate. "I come from a second-generation water family from the old country," Halimi recounts. "As a kid, pumps, valves and pipes

Irrigation comprises 70% of global freshwater use and is growing faster than any other water usage source. Combine that with the first megadrought (a drought that lasts at least 20 years) in the western US since the late 1500s, and the significance of that consumption gains critical importance. Wineries and vineyard owners facing these challenging conditions are altering their agricultural practices in response. Devon Wright and co-founders of the Agtech startup Lumo, John Hinnegan and renowned water technology inventor, Henry Halimi, joined forces to develop a revolutionary solution to help growers protect this precious resource. Lumo's first-of-its-kind smart valve gives growers new tools to optimize water usage by going beyond timers to manage irrigation flow. It is the first valve to have a built-in controller, the first to have a built-in flow sensor with the option for users to add a pressure sensors, and the first to be fully wireless and internet-connected. The sensors dete

Innovative technology offers unprecedented control and visibility for growers to save water and improve crop quality Las Vegas, Nev., January 3, 2022 – Lumo [lumo.ag], an Agtech company focused on water sustainability through the development of smart valve and irrigation technology, will be previewing its revolutionary new product – the first smart irrigation valve for growers – at CES 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. As water levels reach historic lows and the United Nations predicts a 40% shortfall in freshwater resources by 2030, tools to improve irrigation efficiency are urgently needed. Agricultural irrigation alone uses 70% of the world’s freshwater, making it crucial for growers to have access to advanced technology that can help them save water, reduce costs, and improve crop quality. "We are thrilled to preview the Lumo smart valve to the market at CES," says Devon Wright, CEO of Lumo. "As a company, we are dedicated to combating water scarcity