Packaging Innovation in Action: How a Growing Craft Distillery Transformed Their Packaging Process with Automation
How Impak Streamlined Willibald Farm Distillery & Brewery's Packaging Operations
Discover how Impak Packaging helped Willibald Farm Distillery & Brewery optimize its packaging line using a Refurbished Damark B180 Shrink Bundle Wrapper and S34T Shrink Tunnel.
As demand for their canned spirits and cocktails surged, Willibald’s manual packaging process struggled to keep up—leading to inefficiencies, increased labour hours, and fulfilment bottlenecks. Recognizing the need for a better solution, one of the owners began exploring automation options—and that’s when they connected with us.
Impak Packaging stepped in as a trusted partner to streamline Willibald’s end-of-line operations. After assessing their workflow/growth trajectory, Impak recommended the B180 Shrink Bundle Wrapper and S34T Shrink Tunnel combo – an automated shrink bundling system designed to replace manual boxing and reduce packaging time significantly.
USED EQUIPMENT
Willibald scaled with a refurbished Damark system—lower cost, same performance.
WHAT WE INSTALLED
Damark B180 + S34T: A high-speed shrink system for mid- to high-volume canning.
READY TO SCALE?
Willibald’s growth won’t stop with one machine—and yours shouldn’t either.
Enter Willibald
Located in Ayr, Ontario, Willibald Farm Distillery & Brewery has become one of Ontario’s most recognized names in craft beverages. What began as a dream between two brothers and a close friend has grown into a thriving, 100-acre, farm-based operation— blending small-batch distilling, brewing, and farm-to-table dining.
Founded by Nolan, Jordan, and their longtime friend Cam, Willibald took shape on Nolan’s family farm. With no formal background but a deep passion for the craft brewery scene, they dove in headfirst starting with a single canning line. What started with a few curious visitors has transformed into a true destination, with a full-service restaurant, a vibrant taphouse, and a growing line of craft spirits, seasonal beers, and ready-to-drink canned cocktails.
From a first-time visitor to a loyal regular, everyone who steps onto the farm gets a taste of what Willibald is all about: community, creativity, and care in every pour.
We’re proud to support innovative producers like Willibald who are redefining what it means to be craft—without ever losing sight of where they started.
THE CHALLENGE: MANUAL BOTTLENECKS SLOWING DOWN GROWTH
Manual Packaging vs. Modern Demand: Willibald’s Challenge
One of Impak’s Sales Representatives reached out to assess their current operations and explore opportunities for improving their packaging line. They concluded that as their product line continued to grow, their packaging process wouldn’t be able to keep pace. Manual boxing and bundling required an entire day of labour for each production run, making it increasingly difficult to meet rising demand. The manual bundling of cans and bottles created several bottlenecks in their workflow, ultimately limiting their overall efficiency.
We were just spending so much time packing, the orders kept getting larger and larger… we literally couldn’t handle it unless we bought some automated equipment.
INEFFICIENCIES
The manual process was time-consuming, impacting their ability to scale production effectively.
PRODUCTION LIMITS
With products reaching hundreds of LCBO outlets, meeting the growing demand of 40,000–50,000 cans per week had become an increasingly daunting task.
LABOUR COSTS
They relied heavily on family and friends to keep up with demand—a costly and unsustainable solution as their orders grew.
The Solution: Finding the Right Fit with Impak
Strategic Selection: How Willibald Landed on the Ideal Bundle Wrapper
After they had figured out the main challenges they were facing, they began to evaluate their options. Nolan began researching what would work best for them and viewed many Bundle Wrapping options. When asked about this process – Nolan explained that the main criteria they were looking for were timing and availability. They needed a new system in place and set in the wintertime that was effective and not costly.
Next, through a consultative process, Impak worked closely with them to identify the right equipment that could improve efficiency, reduce manual labour, and support their scaling production. We provided a dependable solution and decided that a Refurbished Damark B180 Shrink Bundle Wrapper and S34T Shrink Tunnel combo was the perfect fit for their operations.
REFURBISHED
PRODUCTS
Looking for a cost-effective packaging solution? Join Willibald Farms and other growing brands in choosing quality used equipment.
and S34T Shrink Tunnel
The B180 Shrink Bundle Wrapper and S34T Shrink Tunnel combo is a powerful, cost-effective solution for bundling multipacks with speed and consistency. Ideal for medium- to high-volume production lines, this system efficiently wraps and shrinks products without the need for compressed air.
"It’s really helped simplify and streamline things… being able to send it through, wrap it, shrink it—it just made the whole process easy for anyone to jump on and do."
Features
- Built for reliable, high-output bundling—perfect for growing operations ready to replace manual boxing with consistent, professional-grade shrink wrapping.
- Compact Footprint, High Output: Designed to maximize floor space without sacrificing performance.
- With a tunnel opening of 32” W x 16” H, the S34T can handle various multipack sizes: Ideal for cans, bottles, and boxed items.
RESULTS
Impak Packaging stepped in as the solution provider, taking on the task of modernizing Willibald’s manual packaging process to meet rising production demands. The upgrade included the installation of the Damark B180 Shrink Bundle Wrapper and S34T Shrink Tunnel, an automated bundling and shrinking system designed to streamline multipack handling and eliminate the need for manual boxing.
With increased efficiency, lower labour dependency, and the capacity to bundle up to 50,000 cans weekly, Willibald found the right partner in Impak Packaging.
The bundler is big. Before we were putting everything in boxes. That was like a whole extra day just to box up what we can. Now we just send it to the bundler and that’s a huge opportunity.
Lower Operating Costs
By replacing manual labour with automation, Willibald significantly reduced labour expenses and minimized overtime—freeing up resources to reinvest in growth.
Simplified Workflow
Easy to operate and train on, the new setup allows any team member to jump in—streamlining packaging and reducing training time.
Faster Throughput
The new bundling system matches Willibald’s high-volume canning (up to 40 loads/hour), boosting speed and efficiency without compromising quality.
Built to Scale
As demand continues to grow, Willibald is now equipped with an automated system that supports larger orders and future production increases.
Looking Ahead: Automation as a Foundation for Growth
As Willibald continues to expand across Ontario and beyond—with some products already in 300–400 LCBO stores—automation remains a key part of their strategy for sustainable growth.
They’re already looking into future upgrades like carton erectors to build their boxes and further improve their can packaging operations. Impak will be there to help in this venture along the way.
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