Aylmer Express Graphics Group, headquartered in Aylmer, Ontario, has purchased Contact Creative Printing, a lithography shop, and Double Q Printing, a digital print shop.

Both London, Ontario, companies and their staff have been absorbed into existing production centres under the Aylmer Express Graphics Group, which includes Aylmer Express in Aylmer, Accell Graphics and Absolute Mail Solutions in London, Ontario, and Barney Printing in Woodstock. The company also operates a mail, data management and distribution centre called Westminster International in Toronto.

“No one else in the territory has our combination of capacity, versatility and expertise," said John Hueston, President of Aylmer Express. "We are now the largest general commercial printers in Southwestern Ontario and more importantly, unsurpassed for quality reproduction.

“We are extremely busy and will continue to grow organically and through acquisition," continued Hueston. "Our full-time staff, almost 100, far exceeds what my father and I set out to do when we accepted Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau’s challenge to create jobs 35 years ago. We have been very fortunate to have such fine colleagues who share our vision and their craftsmanship.”

The Contact Creative and Double Q acquisitions follow a 12-month capital investment in technology including a Heidelberg CD74 press, Heidelberg saddle stitcher and folder, Polar automated cutting system and large-format printing equipment.

The 137-year-old Express, owned since 1947 by the Hueston family, was also a Family Enterprise of the Year Award finalist at the Family Enterprise Exchange awards banquet on March 2, 2017.

Over the past few months, Veritiv has hosted four awards events in major Canadian cities to recognize both the winning printers and designers in its annual Veritiv Design and Print Excellence Awards, also known as the uVU Awards.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
•  

There were 32 winning entries in total across two distinct categories to recognize print and also design excellence. From the range of submissions, which must be produced by Veritiv customers, a Best of Show Award is determined for both the print and design categories. This year also featured four Judges' Choice Awards.

Veritiv’s awards tour ended at the beginning of March 2017 in Vancouver, BC, after visiting Calgary (October 2016), Montreal (December 2016) and Toronto (January 2017). The following top awards and print awards were presented:

BEST IN SHOW AWARDS
Best in Show, Print
Project: 2015 Holiday Wrapping Paper
Printer: Hemlock Printers
Design firm: Burnkit

Best in Show, Design
Project: Relay
Design firm: Lauren Wickware
Printer: Andora Graphics

JUDGES’ CHOICE AWARDS
Project: Home Ground
Design firm: Lauren Wickware
Printer: Andora Graphics

Project: Why Can’t Minimal
Design firm: Emma Wright
Printer: Andora Graphics

Project: Laurent & Clark Sales Brochure
Design firm: orangetango
Printer: LG Chabot

Project: This is Nowhere
Design firm: Chris Allen
Printer: Hemlock Printers

PRINT AWARD WINNERS
Project: Sunnybrook Foundation Report to Donors 2015
Printer: Exodus Graphics
Design firm: Clear Space

Project: Cundari, Internal Design Program
Printer: Flash Reproductions
Design firm: Cundari

Project: Brentwood Three
Printer: Hemlock Printers
Design firm: Thought Shop

Project: Tridel “Form” Brochure & Sleeve
Printer: Somerset Graphics
Design firm: Cinderbloc

Project: Cleopatra Book
Printer: Hemlock Printers
Design firm: AK Photographs

Project: George Brown College School of Design Annual
Printer: Andora Graphics
Design firm: George Brown College School of Design

Project: Hakapik
Printer: Litho Chic (Deschamps Impression)
Design firm: Yoanis Menge

Project: Flora
Printer: Hemlock Printers
Design firm: Newfoundbrand

Project: Flare & Joe Fresh Cover, Unzipped
Printer: TC Transcontinental PLM
Design firm: Flare

Project: Woo Publication
Printer: Metropolitan Fine Printers
Design firm: Woo Publication

Project: Equus by Lithochic
Printer: Litho Chic (Deschamps Impression)
Design firm: L’Orange Bleue

Project: Heather & Little Business Cards
Printer: Flash Reproductions
Design firm: Overdrive Design

Hemlock Harling Distribution Inc. has acquired PDQ Post Group based in Surrey, BC, with more than 25 years of experience in data, mail and lettershop print solutions. All PDQ operations will shift to Hemlock Harling’s 40,000-square-foot faciliity in Richmond, BC.

PDQ Post’s President, Lorraine Duclos, takes on a new role as Senior Account Manager at Hemlock Harling. “At PDQ, we had great success with customers who focused on direct mail,” she said. “With Hemlock Harling, we can now offer all components of a direct mail campaign, for regional, national and international projects.”

Hemlock Harling was established in December 2016 as an equal partnership of Hemlock Printers, one of Canada’s leading printing companies based in Burnaby, BC, and Harling Direct, a prominent postal services and fulfillment provider with facilities in Montreal and Toronto. Hemlock Harling, officially opening its doors in February 2017, coinciding with its purchase of Kirk Marketing, a 60-year-old full-service print, mailing and fulfillment services company which held the organization’s current facility in Richmond.

“This acquisition is an exciting step for Hemlock Harling, helping put us on a solid path for success in the future,” said President Richard Kouwenhoven. “We are excited to have Lorraine join the organization as a professional and collaborative mailing specialist to our many stakeholders. She will also help welcome her existing customers to an expanded service offering which covers data, print, mail, warehousing and distribution services.”

Hemlock Harling is focused on providing data-driven marketing, postal and third-party distribution services to a clients throughout North America. “Lorraine has many years of experience in mailing and her postal knowledge of not only Canada Post, but also USPS and international postal administrations will serve our current and future clients well,” said Gordon Taschuk, General Manager of Hemlock Harling.