BUILT ON QUALITY, COMMUNITY, AND PASSION

For Tonewood Brewing co-founder Eli Facchinei, craft beer was never just about making beer. It was about creating something worth sharing with the people around him. 

Facchinei's journey began with a trip to Germany, where he experienced a beer culture centered on quality, community, and passion. Inspired by styles that were difficult to find back home, he began experimenting with homebrewing. While those first batches may not have been award-winning, the experience sparked an interest that would eventually become a profession. 

After relocating to Colorado, Facchinei immersed himself in the craft brewing industry, learning the trade firsthand while working in a professional brewery. The experience gave him a deeper understanding of the brewing process and confirmed that beer was more than a hobby. It was a career he wanted to pursue. 

With encouragement from his wife, Facchinei eventually returned to New Jersey with the goal of opening his own brewery with his brother. That vision became Tonewood Brewing. 

From the beginning, the local community embraced the brewery. Customers quickly connected with Tonewood's focus on quality craft beer and authentic customer experiences. The support was immediate, and so was the demand.  

What started as a passion project soon grew into a thriving business. As production increased and distribution opportunities expanded, Tonewood found itself facing a challenge shared by many growing craft breweries: demand was beginning to outpace production capacity. 

The same community that helped fuel Tonewood's success was now pushing the brewery to find new ways to grow. 

As Tonewood Brewing expanded, the limitations of its existing canning operation became increasingly apparent. 

The brewery’s original operation required significant manual labor, with employees handloading cans onto the line and collecting them at the other end. Running at approximately 24 cans per minute, the operation struggled to keep pace with growing demand. While the team worked hard to keep production moving, packaging was becoming an impediment that limited future growth. 

For Facchinei, increasing production wasn't the only goal. It was now about ensuring every customer received the beer exactly as the brewery planned.  

"In my opinion, packaging is the most important aspect of your operation...." Facchinei said, "[without] a proper packaging operation, the beer that the customer is going to get is not going to be what you intended it to be." 

THE SEARCH FOR THE RIGHT PARTNER

When Tonewood evaluated options for upgrading its packaging capabilities, the team looked to larger breweries as a source of inspiration. Through that research, they encountered BW Packaging equipment and the reputation behind it. 

In BW Packaging, Tonewood found a team that took time to understand the brewery’s goals, challenges, and growth plans. By working closely with the Tonewood team, BW Packaging was able to identify pain points within the brewery’s existing operation and recommend a solution designed for both current production demands and future expansion. 

Tonewood invested in a BW Packaging CB50C integrated canning line, which helped the brewery significantly increase their production capacity while maintaining the quality standards that had earned customer loyalty.  

As production continued to increase, the brewery eventually found itself pushing the CB50C to its limits. After canning more than 7 million cans on the line, their BW Packaging expert contacted Tonewood with a solution to their packaging problems: the new CBR 12/3 Rotary Monoblock combination filling and seaming machine. The upgrade provided the throughput and reliability needed to support increasing production and expansion into new markets. 

THE RESULTS

Growth on Tap 

When Tonewood Brewing first began evaluating new packaging equipment, the team needed a solution that would support long-term development without compromising the quality standards that had made the brewery successful. 

Before expanding operations, Tonewood produced approximately 6,000 barrels annually. After moving into its larger facility and implementing BW Packaging's canning technology, production climbed to nearly 10,000 barrels during the first year alone. The brewery continued to build on that momentum, producing approximately 14,000 barrels last year and projecting nearly 15,000 barrels this year—a 150% projected increase from the initial barrel count. 

As Facchinei explained: 

"It made it so the packaging wasn't the bottleneck anymore." 

By removing production constraints, BW Packaging helped position Tonewood to meet growing demand, pursue new market opportunities, and continue scaling the business with confidence. 

Consistency You Can Taste 

For Tonewood, packaging is a critical part of ensuring customers experience the beer exactly as the brewery intended. Since implementing BW Packaging's canning solutions, the Tonewood team has seen measurable improvements in consistency and output across their packaging operation.  

Facchinei describes the operation as remarkably dependable: 

"Once you dial it in and start the line up, it really just likes to run and it runs perfectly." 

The brewery reported reduced beer waste and fewer fill inconsistencies. For a growing craft brewery, those gains translate into more sellable product, greater operational efficiency, and assurance that quality is being preserved from the production floor to the consumer. 

Proven Performance at Every Stage 

Tonewood's growth story is reflected not only in annual production volumes, but also in the performance of its packaging equipment. 

Before being replaced with a BW Packaging CBR 12/3 Rotary Monoblock system, Tonewood's CB50C had processed more than 7 million cans in just over three years, helping the brewery scale production and meet growing market demand. 

As Tonewood continued to expand, the brewery upgraded to the CBR 12/3 Rotary Monoblock to achieve even greater throughput. The new system has already processed more than 4 million cans in the first year and a half, providing the reliability and performance needed to support Tonewood's next phase of growth. 

While performance improvements have been significant, Tonewood believes the relationship behind the equipment has been equally valuable. 

Since the initial installation, BW Packaging has remained closely connected to the brewery's success. As production expanded and new challenges emerged, the BW team continued to provide guidance, troubleshooting assistance, and rapid response when needed. 

"Whenever we had a problem, their team would be right on it for us." 

Whether supporting the brewery through FaceTime troubleshooting sessions or helping expedite replacement parts to keep production moving, BW Packaging focused on minimizing downtime and helping Tonewood stay productive. 

The relationship reflects a shared philosophy. Tonewood has built its reputation by investing in its community and treating customers like neighbors rather than transactions. BW Packaging takes a similar approach, working alongside customers as a long-term partner rather than simply supplying equipment. 

For Tonewood, that human-centered approach created trust that extended well beyond the purchase of a canning line. It reinforced that they had chosen a partner committed to their long-term success. 

As the brewery continues to grow, BW Packaging remains part of that journey, providing the equipment, expertise, and support necessary to help ensure packaging never stands in the way of opportunity.