What Wayside does

Wayside is a privately held Canadian commercial printing, signage, and marketing-services company headquartered in Vernon, British Columbia, with five additional locations across the province (Kamloops, Salmon Arm, Kelowna, Vancouver, and Whistler). Founded in 1921, the company operates four service pillars: Print (commercial offset and digital printing, direct mail, custom web-to-print portals, finishing, fulfillment, and warehousing); Signs (retail, commercial, event, industrial, and tradeshow signage with installation); Tech (a suite of digital products covering lead generation, email marketing, database integration, customer insights, and data-driven marketing via the BlueSky service); and Mail Connect (end-to-end direct mail campaign management launched in 2024). Underlying technology includes a Heidelberg CD 74 2/4 Perfector press, custom-built web-to-print platforms for enterprise clients, custom CRM email marketing systems, and database-integration tooling that consolidates on-premise and cloud data into a single warehouse. Customer use cases span variable-data direct mail runs (e.g., 1.5 million pieces across 16 versions for Kal Tire), branded self-serve portals for franchise networks (Best Western Supply, Tolko, Vernon Toyota, VantageOne), and bespoke CRM campaigns (Gateway Casinos).

Revenue is generated transactionally across printing, signage, and direct mail services, complemented by subscription/recurring revenue from web-to-print portal hosting and managed-service revenue from digital tech offerings. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Go-to-market combines inside sales (phone/email), direct field sales representatives across BC, and self-serve web-to-print portals for enterprise and franchise clients. Customer mix is weighted toward Canadian enterprise and mid-market accounts across automotive, hospitality, real estate, retail, gaming, forestry, and construction — with named logos including Kal Tire, Best Western, Tolko, Predator Ridge, Nature's Fare Markets, Gateway Casinos, Vernon Toyota, and VantageOne — alongside a secondary long-tail of small businesses and local brands.

The company is privately owned by Neil Perry (sole owner since 2020, after buying out co-owner Richard Finn), and has grown through a series of acquisitions: Peerless Printers (2001), Wilde Imagination Signs and Designs (2014), Electric Paper Company (2017), and Lakeside Printing (2018). The firm has 11-50 employees, no disclosed venture or institutional funding, no parent company, and no public listing. Distribution, marketing, and customer service are operated through the main website, branded client portals, email, social media (Facebook, LinkedIn, X), and case-study content published on the corporate blog.

Name

Wayside

Legal name

Wayside

Website

https://waysideco.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1921

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Wayside is a privately held Canadian commercial printing, signage, direct mail, and marketing-technology company serving enterprise, mid-market, and SMB clients across British Columbia with custom web-to-print portals, branded digital campaigns, and end-to-end production from six BC locations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Printing & Marketing Services

NAICS

Commercial Printing (except Screen and Books) (323111), Direct Mail Advertising (541860), Graphic Design Services (541430)

SIC

Services-Direct Mail Advertising Services (7331), Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330), Services-Advertising (7310)

akta.pro primary industry

Customer Journey Orchestration & Campaign Management (BPAFAFAF)

Keywords

• Commercial printing services
• Direct mail solutions
• Custom signage
• Web-to-print platforms
• Marketing technology solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Vernon

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Commercial Printing Services: Core printing services including commercial printing, finishing, fulfillment, and warehousing. Revenue is generated from per-job printing services across offset and digital printing equipment.
2. Direct Mail Solutions: Direct mail campaign services including strategy, planning, data services, personalization, variable data printing, postal preparation, distribution, delivery, and tracking. Revenue generated per piece printed and per campaign managed.
3. Signage Services: Custom dimensional signage for retail, commercial, events, industrial, and tradeshow applications. Includes design, production, and installation services.
4. Digital Tech Solutions: Digital products including lead generation, email marketing platform, database integration, customer insights, and data-driven marketing services. May be bundled with print services or sold separately as managed services.
5. Web-to-Print Portal Services: Custom web-to-print portal development and hosting for enterprise clients (e.g., Best Western Supply). Provides upfront brand standard approvals and standardized templates with volume pricing access for franchisees.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Wayside is a Vernon, BC-based commercial printing, signage, and marketing-technology company that provides offset and digital printing, large-format signs and dimensional signage, direct mail campaign management (including the Mail Connect service), custom Web-to-Print portals for franchise and enterprise clients, finishing/fulfillment/warehousing, and a Tech suite of digital marketing products covering lead generation, email marketing, database integration, customer insights, data-driven marketing (BlueSky/DataGear/MailStream), and custom CRM development.

Product overview

Wayside is a multi-service marketing and printing company operating as a platform of interconnected product lines rather than a single unified product. The core offering spans four service pillars: (1) Print — commercial printing, direct mail, custom web-to-print portals, finishing/fulfillment/warehousing; (2) Signs — retail commercial, events, industrial, tradeshow signage with installation; (3) Tech — a suite of digital products including Lead Generation, Email Platform, Database + Integration, Customer Insights, Data Driven Marketing (DataGear and MailStream), BlueSky service, and Custom Development; and (4) Mail Connect — end-to-end direct mail campaign management. The company has grown through acquisitions including Wilde Imagination Sign & Design (2014, signage), Electric Paper Company (2017, retail), and Lakeside Printing (2018, additional B.C. locations). Clients access services through branded web portals and the main website.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Best Western Supply: Web-to-print portal developed for Best Western Supply to streamline production and approvals of printed products
• Mail Connect
• Wilde Imagination Sign & Design

Products and services

• Commercial Printing Full-service commercial printing using offset and digital presses, including finishing options such as embossing, debossing, spot UV coating, soft-touch lamination, foil stamping, and die-cutting for Canadian businesses and organizations.
• Signs & Signage Custom signage services covering retail commercial, events, industrial, and tradeshow applications, including large-format printing, custom multi-dimensional signs, and professional sign installation.
• Custom Web-to-Print Portals Custom-branded online ordering portals for enterprise and franchise clients that allow franchisees and customers to customize and order pre-approved printed materials with volume pricing, direct shipping, billing, and fast delivery.
• Mail Connect (Direct Mail Campaign Management) End-to-end direct mail campaign management covering strategy and planning, data services, personalization and variable data, mail production, postal preparation, distribution and delivery, and tracking and reporting.
• Digital Marketing & Tech Solutions Suite of digital marketing products including Lead Generation, Email Platform, Database + Integration, Customer Insights, BlueSky Data-Driven Marketing (DataGear + MailStream), and Custom Development, targeting real estate, automotive, consumer, and retail sectors with ROI-driven solutions.
• Finishing, Fulfillment & Warehousing Complete finishing services (embossing, debossing, spot varnish, foil printing, die cuts) plus fulfillment and warehousing capabilities for printed materials and campaign logistics.
• Wilde Imagination Sign & Design Acquired boutique sign shop combining traditional sign-making craftsmanship with modern signage techniques and professional sign installation for retail, commercial, events, and resort customers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 40% increase in season ticket holders for Powerhouse Theatre in first season
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature4 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Cimpress (Vistaprint): Global mass-customization and printing platform with online web-to-print portals and marketing services. Comparable to Wayside's web-to-print portal capability at much greater scale, representing the broad incumbent in custom print-on-demand.
• Quad/Graphics: Large North American commercial printer offering integrated marketing solutions including print, mail, and data services. Comparable to Wayside's integrated print/mail/data stack but at significantly greater scale and geographic reach.

Emerging players

• Sendoso: Direct mail and gifting automation platform integrating with CRM and marketing automation stacks. Comparable to Wayside's BlueSky and CRM-driven direct mail orchestration in enabling B2B marketers to execute physical mail campaigns via data triggers.
• Lob: API-first direct mail automation platform enabling software teams to send postal mail programmatically. Comparable to Wayside's Mail Connect service from a tech-first/API-centric angle for direct mail at scale.

Direct peers

• Pattison Sign Group: Canada's largest signage provider with design, fabrication, and installation services nationwide. Comparable to Wayside's Wilde Imagination Sign & Design division in serving retail, commercial, event, and industrial signage demand.
• Lowe-Martin Group: One of Canada's largest privately held commercial printers with offset, digital, finishing, and direct mail capability. Comparable to Wayside as a multi-plant Canadian commercial printer serving enterprise accounts across print and integrated marketing.
• St. Joseph Communications: Canadian integrated print, content, and digital marketing services firm with a national footprint. Directly comparable to Wayside because both combine commercial printing, direct mail, and content/marketing services under one platform for enterprise and mid-market clients.
• McCallum Printing Group: Western Canadian commercial printer based in BC offering offset, digital, large format, and direct mail. Comparable to Wayside as a BC-based regional printer serving overlapping mid-market and enterprise accounts.
• TPH Canada (The Printing House): Canadian printing and document services company with retail print centres and commercial production. Comparable to Wayside in offering commercial printing alongside marketing and signage-adjacent services to Canadian businesses.
• Hemmings+Partners: Canadian integrated print and marketing services firm specializing in direct mail, commercial printing, and campaign execution for enterprise clients. Comparable to Wayside's Mail Connect-style end-to-end direct mail offering.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wayside_co
• Facebookfacebook.com/Waysideco
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wayside-co

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries3 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 Wayside