On April 26, 1993, the next generation paper company arrived in Canada. Unisource Canada, with the promise of helping its customers outperform their competition, debuted as the most extensive, single-source distributor of fine papers, graphic supplies, industrial products and system solutions in Canada.

Operating as Unisource Canada East and Unisource Canada West, the company services the country from regional headquarters in Montreal and Vancouver. It is the result of a major acquisition engineered in September 1992 by Paper Corporation of America, North America’s largest marketer and distributor of fine papers and industrial products. PCA, an Alco Standard company headquartered in Wayne, Pennsylvania, has 330 locations, more than 9,000 employees and US $4.5 billion in annualized sales.

The acquisition involved three Abitibi-Price distribution companies: Barber-Ellis Fine papers, Price Daxion and Inter City Papers. At the same time, PCA also acquired Crown Paper, a major distributor of industrial packaging, janitorial products and printing papers. These companies were combined with PCA’s Smith Paper of British Columbia to form Unisource Canada.

Management of Unisource Canada realized that the new company would never be able to rest solely on its size. Yves Montmarquette, President of Unisource Canada East, said that being part of the largest distribution network in North America brings with it a serious obligation to customers. “We are and will continue to be customer advocates,” he stated. “Our entire organization must meet and work with customers; that’s our number one priority.”

Unisource Canada, Inc., Richmond Hill, Ontario.

“Our goal is straightforward: to make it easier for our customers to do business by providing a single, one-stop source for their printing and packaging needs,” explained Don Cook, president of Unisource Canada West. “The companies that form Unisource Canada are dominant forces in their marketing areas and now, as a single source supplier, plan to provide a level of expertise, inventories, products, and customer service unequalled in Canada.”

Beginning with revenues of nearly $925 million, Unisource’s 40 distribution centres, more than 25 specializing in fine paper, represent $900 million of inventory, 2 million square feet of warehouse space and employ 1,800 people.

Relying on advanced technology as the backbone of its national distribution network, Unisource is able to manage all order processing, product replenishment, inventory control, storage and receiving, delivery, accounts payable and management reporting on behalf of the customer. Customer service is one of Unisource’s biggest assets....

To meet customers’ needs, Unisource has developed a “market specialist” program by calling on advertising agencies and corporate communication departments to learn the needs of graphic artists and designers.

Overall, Unisource sees significant growth opportunities in the web, graphic arts, silk screen, bookbinding, and business communications paper market segments.

With the single source concept, maintaining inventories large enough to meet customers’ needs is critical. Inventory in a Unisource warehouse includes a diversity of coated and uncoated papers, carbonless papers, cut size papers, laser speciality papers, specialty text and cover grade papers, envelopes, as well as graphic and printing supplies.

The single source concept that showcases Unisource as a Canadian corporate achiever redefines the way of doing business for the graphics arts industry throughout Canada.