The Finger Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce held its August Business After Hours Networking Mixer on Wednesday, August 14 at Waterloo Container. Located on 414 in Waterloo, Waterloo Container is a family-owned wine and beverage packaging supplier that was founded by Bill Lutz in 1980. What started out to support the growing wine industry in the Finger Lakes and along the East Coast, has since grown over the last 40 years to become the leading packaging supplier for Eastern North America. Today, they pride themselves in providing partnerships through packaging with an unrivaled ready-to-ship inventory of glass wine, spirit, and craft bottles that are sourced both domestically and globally.  Other industry highlights include their services to customers such as glass printing, shrink sleeve labeling, and state-of-the-art re-pack; their valuable alliances with the most reputable vendors in the industry including Ardagh Glass and STELVIN® brand closures; offering an an unmatched selection of stock capsules and corks, and all with an unmatched customer service experience.  

During the event, tours were offered to attendees to see the building and facility, including behind-the-scenes overviews of the machines, equipment, and products. Management team members lead discussions and short presentations to explain how each worked and the purpose of each, while also sharing interesting facts about general areas where some of the custom products would be shipped to and the demand with quick turnaround times that they are known for being able to accommodate.

During the event presentation, Mark C. Pitifer, Projects & Communications Administrator spoke about the business’s history while paying homage to Bill and his accomplishments, as well as the team that works there. “Waterloo Container has been in business for over 40 years and it was great to be able to share what we do in the industry with other businesses, he stated.” He also noted their appreciation for working with the Chamber. “We were happy to host the FLX Chamber’s August Business After Hours mixer at our headquarters. It was a pleasure working with Miranda and Tara from the Chamber, whose dedication and expertise contributed to the event’s success. We are incredibly proud of our team for their exceptional organization and hospitality, which helped make the event both well-organized and well-attended. We look forward to continuing our partnership with the FLX Chamber and encourage other businesses to consider joining to benefit from the valuable networking and community support they offer,” he added.