Wellington Produce Packaging is celebrating several milestones after a fire destroyed its warehouse last year.

MOUNT FOREST — It’s been more than a year since Wellington Produce Packaging suffered one of its biggest business failures in nearly a century, but the company has reason to celebrate.

On Oct. 18, employees, customers and suppliers of the local manufacturer joined government officials and others for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially open a new building at the plant, a response to a June 2023 fire that destroyed a warehouse filled with products about to explode. ship to customers.

At the same time the company celebrated two significant anniversaries: 40 years in its current building on Sligo Road and 90 years in business.

“It’s important that we celebrate these milestones as they happen,” company president Paul Hincks said to the small crowd gathered at the bright new warehouse for the celebration.

Hinks told the crowd a little about the company’s history, noting that it had several owners and six different names over the years, including Wellington Wood Products.

According to Paul, it was his father, Ken Hinks, who initiated the construction of the main building, the grand opening of which took place on October 19, 1984.

Wilma Shannon, whose children worked at Wellington Produce Packaging, flips through a scrapbook of news clippings during the grand opening, which also marked the company’s 90th anniversary. Photo by Jessica Lovell

“He did it because he always said he saw a future for Wellington Wood,” he said.

Wood once occupied a more important place in the company’s product line. Nowadays, cardboard, like plastic, occupies a much more important place.

The company supplies farmers and producers with everything from plastic berry crates to egg cartons, fruit baskets and boxes for everything from mushrooms to cucumbers to asparagus.

“We really focus on Canadian producers,” said Adam Hinks, Paul’s son, Ken’s grandson.

Adam, who works in sales and is moving into company management, said the majority of Wellington Produce Packaging’s customers are in Ontario, but they are also located across Canada.

“We started here because that’s where all the trees grew,” he said, explaining that the Mount Forest area has an abundance of the raw materials needed to create the company’s products.

With so much cardboard and paper in the warehouse, it is not surprising that the building was engulfed when an arsonist set fire to cardboard outside the building in June 2023.

The loss of the building was a disaster for the business, not just because of the loss of the structure.

“June is our busiest month,” Adam said, noting the company lost about $500,000 worth of inventory intended to be shipped to customers.

He called it “a pretty big setback at perhaps the most crucial moment.”

Fortunately, no one was injured in the fire, and many people came to help the business in difficult times.

“Even our competitors provided us with product so we could continue to operate,” Adam said.

He said Coburn Insurance has streamlined the claims process and credited employees for doing their part in getting the company back on track.

“Our business grew last year despite our setbacks,” Adam said.

The warehouse lost in the fire was approximately 10,000 square feet. The new space, attached to a building that opened in the 1980s, is 15,000 square feet.

“We’re expanding, the business is growing, and we plan to continue to expand,” Adam said.

Wellington Produce Packaging’s Adam Hinks (left) gives a tour of the Mount Forest site to Matthew Wray MP (centre) and John Nater MP on 18 October.
Photo by Jessica Lovell

Several people spoke at the event recognizing the value of the business and its products, including Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association executive director Alison Robertson and Canadian Corrugated Association executive director Allen Kirkpatrick.

Three levels of government were also represented, with Perth-Wellington MP John Nater, MP Matthew Rae and Wellington North Mayor Andy Lennox congratulating the company on its milestones.

Lennox added some perspective on what the 90th anniversary means, noting that 90 years ago Mount Forest had two railways and not many cars.

“For a business that has been successful for so long, this is truly a remarkable achievement,” Lennox said, highlighting how the company would have to adapt.

He also noted that, thanks to his own experience in agriculture, Wellington Produce Packaging seemed to be the company that put Mount Forest on the map.

“I can’t count the number of times people have said to me, ‘Mount Forest? Don’t they make baskets there?’” Lennox said. “I hope you continue to proudly represent Mount Forest as you have for 90 years.”