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Hemlock to Open Distribution Facility After Joint Kirk Marketing Purchase

Hemlock Printers of Burnaby, BC, has created a new entity called Hemlock Harling Distribution Inc., which is described as a company dedicated to providing data-driven marketing, postal and third-party distribution services to customers throughout North America. Hemlock Harling will formally open its doors on February 1, 2017, coinciding with the acquisition of Kirk Marketing, a 60-year-old full-service print, mailing and fulfillment services company in Richmond, BC.

The venture is an equal partnership between Hemlock Printers and Harling Direct, a marketing-support company providing postal services and fulfillment from facilities in Montreal, QC, and Toronto, ON.

Operating from Kirk’s existing 40,000 square foot facility, Hemlock Harling will bring together a team of 40 staff members, who, in addition to serving its established customer base, will also support Hemlock Printers and Harling Direct clients – significantly expanding the capabilities of both partner organizations.

“We are very excited to launch this new company with our partners at Harling Direct. The management and distribution of our printed materials is fast becoming an integral part of our business, requiring a high level of expertise,” said Richard Kouwenhoven, President and COO, Hemlock. “Hemlock Harling will enable us to greatly expand this service area and will help us meet the changing needs of our customers in the years ahead.”

Harling’s President, Randy Yates, added: “Harling has been actively looking to the Western Canadian Market to offer customers complete distribution coverage from coast to coast, and when the opportunity arose to partner with an established company like Hemlock Printers, we didn’t hesitate.

Harling is not new to this type of business venture, having successfully partnered with the PDI Group of Montreal since 2007,” continued Yates. “Our mutual clients have benefitted from a powerful integration of print, mail, warehousing and distribution services which is a model we are looking forward to growing in the West. Our acquisition of Kirk Marketing provides an ideal springboard for this new venture.”

Gordon Taschuk, President and CEO of Kirk Marketing, is to become General Manager of the new Hemlock Harling operation. “I’m looking forward [to] working with two of the most respected companies in the industry, leveraging our combined strength to the benefit of our customers and staff,” said Taschuk.

Founded in 1968, Hemlock Printers is today seen as the largest full-service commercial printing company in Western Canada. Hemlock’s production facilities in Burnaby operate 100 percent carbon neutral and the company has sales offices in Victoria, Seattle and San Francisco.

Founded in 1959, Harling specializes in direct mail and third party fulfillment logistics. It provides services in both of Canada’s official languages, preparing distributions to destinations across North America and internationally.