Lester Communications

Name

Lester Communications

Legal name

Lester Communications Inc.

Website

https://www.lesterpublications.com/

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trade Association Publishing Services

NAICS

Periodical Publishers (51312), Directory and Mailing List Publishers (51314)

SIC

Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)

akta.pro primary industry

Business, Finance & Industry Trade Magazines (MPAJAEAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Consumer News & Digital Newsrooms (Web/App-First) (MPAJADAD)

Keywords

• Association publishing services
• Trade association magazines
• Membership directories
• Association digital media
• Print advertising sales

Headquarters

HQ city

Winnipeg

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Publishing services: Full-service print and digital publication production for trade and professional associations, including design services at additional flat rates.
2. Advertising sales: Lester generates revenue by selling advertising space across association publications including magazines, directories, calendars, e-newsletters, and websites. Rates are based on campaign commitments and frequency discounts apply for multi-issue programs.
3. Design services: Optional design assistance available at flat rate, including up to two proofs. Additional revisions billed at standard rates.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Lester Communications is a B2B publishing firm that produces member-engaging print and digital media exclusively for trade and professional associations across North America. Its core deliverables include multi-format print magazines, spiral coil-bound membership directories, association calendars, marketing materials for conventions and conferences, buyers' guides, electronic newsletters, digital editions, association websites, and full-service social media management. All products are customized to each association's branding, vision, and mission.

Product overview

Lester Communications is a specialized B2B publishing firm providing member-engaging print and digital media services exclusively for trade and professional associations. The company operates a multi-format portfolio model offering: print magazines (including Alberta Heavy, ATCA publications, Building Rural Manitoba, Club Manager Quarterly, Manitoba Farmers' Voice, Piledriver, Piling Canada, Poured Canada, SnowOps, Think BIG, and We Build); spiral coil-bound membership directories with tabbed organization; association calendars; marketing materials for conventions and conferences; print and digital buyers' guides; full-service social media management; digital/online editions of all print publications; electronic member newsletters; and association website development. All products are customized with each association partner's branding, vision and mission. Content submission for advertising is handled via FTP upload, website file upload, email, or Dropbox—no API integration is offered.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Print Publications/Magazines First-class print publications tailored to the specific needs of trade and professional associations, integrating each association's branding, vision, and mission throughout each edition. Titles include Alberta Heavy, ATCA Bulletin/Journal, Building Rural Manitoba, Club Manager Quarterly, Manitoba Farmers' Voice, Piledriver, Piling Canada, Poured Canada, SnowOps, Think BIG, and We Build.
• Print Directories High-quality, spiral coil-bound print directories offering complete contact information for each member with easy-reference tabs separating levels of membership, members by region, and association information. Creates a definitive reference guide and business tool used by industry professionals.
• Association Calendars Annual calendars keeping associations top-of-mind amongst members year-round, featuring important industry-related dates such as conventions, conferences, seminars, and events pertinent to the industry the association lobbies for and represents.
• Marketing Materials Marketing materials developed for conventions and conferences, public and private events, membership brochures, and product guides, executed in close partnership with associations using their familiar branding strategies.
• Buyers' Guides Printed and/or digital buyers' guides categorizing products and services in an easy-to-use format, connecting industry buyers to sellers and providing value for association members sourcing products and services.
• Social Media Management Full-service social media management including member-engaging content development, posting to various social media channels, and metric analytics to help communicate associations' messages and build fans/followers.
• Digital Publications Online versions of any print publication accessible through the Internet and digital devices such as tablets and smartphones, reaching tech-savvy professionals through digital formats.
• Electronic Newsletters Members-only electronic newsletters providing 'quick reads' and updates with easy links for access to additional information, allowing associations to address industry issues in-depth and reach out to members on a frequent basis.
• Association Websites Website development and maintenance services for associations, creating and managing online presences for publications such as Alberta Heavy, Poured Canada, Saskatchewan Heavy Construction Association, and SnowOps Magazine.
• Ad Design Services Design assistance available at a flat rate at the time of booking, including up to two proofs. Additional revisions or design work beyond two proofs billed at standard rates.

Quantifiable outcome

• PDCA's PileDriver magazine and advertising sales have seen increased success attributed to Lester's partnership
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Pile Driving Contractors Association (PDCA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2001Long-term publishing partnership since 2001 producing PileDriver magazine (6x annually) and PDCA Membership Directory. The partnership has driven increased readership and advertising sales for PDCA.
• Western Canada Roadbuilders & Heavy Construction Association (WCR&HCA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2001Publishing partner producing Western Canada Roadbuilder event program magazine and conference materials for the annual WCR&HCA Conference.
• Colorado Motor Carriers Association (CMCA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2001Publishing partner for CMCA Membership Directory distributed annually to over 1,600 industry professionals.
• Club Management Association of Canada (CMAC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2001Publishing partner producing Club Management Quarterly (CMQ) magazine four times annually for CMAC members.
• Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2001Publishing partner for Manitoba Farmers' Voice magazine, reaching 6,000 farmers with 15,000 readership through controlled circulation.
• Construction Association of Saskatchewan (CASK)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2001Publishing partner producing We Build magazine (quarterly) and Infrastructure Owners' Guide for CASK members.
• Construction Association of Rural Manitoba (CARM)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2001Publishing partner for Building Rural Manitoba magazine and CARM Membership Directory & Buyers' Guide.
• Air Traffic Control Association (ATCA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2001Publishing partner for ATCA Bulletin and ATCA Journal magazines, with publications experiencing increased readership and advertising sales.
• Advertising clients (Brandt, Gerdau, Liebherr, Nucor Skyline, etc.)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerVarious B2B advertisers across construction, agriculture, and industrial sectors advertising in association publications managed by Lester.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves3 records

Direct peers

• Naylor Association Solutions: Largest US-focused association publishing外包商 producing magazines, directories, newsletters, websites and event materials for trade and professional associations. Most directly comparable peer given overlapping product mix and association-only customer base.
• The YGS Group: Specialized association publishing and marketing services firm producing magazines, directories, digital editions and newsletters for trade associations. Closely mirrors Lester's full-service, association-exclusive positioning.
• Multiview: B2B media company producing digital content, newsletters and custom publishing programs targeted at niche industry and association audiences. Comparable overlap in association newsletters and digital editions.
• Randall-Reilly: B2B media and data company serving trucking, construction and heavy equipment markets — directly overlapping with Lester's CMCA trucking and PDCA/SHCA/CARM construction association clients.
• Wainscot Media: Custom B2B publishing company producing magazines, digital editions and marketing content for niche industries and associations. Comparable custom-publishing model serving member-based organizations.

Broad incumbents

• Hanley Wood: Established US B2B media and data company focused on the residential and commercial construction industry. Overlaps with Lester's construction-association work (PDCA, CASK, CARM, SHCA) but operates at significantly larger scale across multiple media and data products.
• Questex: Diversified B2B media and events company operating across multiple verticals with proprietary magazines, digital media and live events. Competes for the same association and trade-association advertising and sponsorship dollars but at much larger scale.
• BNP Media: B2B media company publishing trade magazines, websites and events across architecture, construction, mechanical and other industrial sectors. Overlaps with several Lester verticals (HVAC via CMAC-style accounts, construction, mechanical).
• WTWH Media: B2B media company covering engineering, industrial and construction markets through magazines, websites, newsletters and events. Comparable audience overlap with Lester's heavy construction and industrial association titles.
• Informa: Global B2B media, events and information company with deep coverage of construction, infrastructure and transportation verticals. Competes indirectly with Lester via scale, content brands and event-driven advertising platforms serving the same association end markets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Lester Communications