Printer emerges from pandemic to mark centennial with more products
According to its owners, a London-based printing and marketing company celebrates 101 years of business. It has an aggressive growth strategy that helped it overcome the pandemic.
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The owners of a London printing and marketing business say it is celebrating 101 years in existence. They also boast an aggressive growth strategy to help it recover from the pandemic.
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Brian Hoekstra, owner, of Allegra Marketing Print Mail said that it is celebrating its centennial and expanding its offerings.
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“We provide a one-stop shop for customers. While we offer many services, we also have some new offerings for customers. And since things bottomed out (in the pandemic), we have grown,” said Hoekstra, president and co-owner with his wife Sandra.
“We are almost at pre-pandemic levels.”
In addition to providing traditional printing services at its location on Leathorne Street, Allegra has diversified into marketing initiatives, including direct and neighborhood mail delivery, getting flyers into people’s homes, Brian Hoekstra said.
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“Customers demand it now. We can offer them different services.”
Sales fell by 25% during the pandemic. However, they are down slightly more than 5% now and trending upwards, Hoekstra stated.
“We held on by our fingertips, we relied on government support, but we have a majority of our business back now,” he said.
Printing firms can offer graphic design, full colour press, digital, wide-format printing, business forms booklets, catalogues, sign, poster, banners, and promotional products. Allegra is embracing this diversity, Sandra Hoekstra explained.
“You have to be on your toes and open to new products,” she said.
In 2019, the Hoekstras bought two businesses: Allegra and Middlesex Printing. They then merged them into Allegra.
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“We have a team through Allegra that helps with marketing, we have access to a lot of different marketing providers and graphics, and in-house graphic artists as well,” she said.
Brian Hoekstra managed manufacturing plants within the auto parts industry. He was sick of traveling and decided to run his own business.
“It was a good time to branch out on our own. I always ran a plant and that is what I am doing now,” he said.
The business was established in 1921 by brothers Herbert G. Morton (with their families) who emigrated from England in 2011. They opened Middlesex Printing in the Empire Brass Co., which was later known as EMCO on Dundas Street.
The Mortons, who were descendents of a long line printers, ran the business for over 50 years. Marilyn Hull and George Hull bought Middlesex Printing. TIt was sold to the Hoekstras by hey.
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