Hemlock Connect Inc

What Hemlock Connect Inc does

Hemlock Connect Inc. is a B2B print, mail, fulfillment, and distribution services company headquartered in Richmond, British Columbia, operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hemlock Printers within the Hemlock Group of Companies. Originally founded in 2017 as Hemlock Harling Distribution Inc. and rebranded to Hemlock Connect in August 2024 to reflect closer integration with parent Hemlock Printers and sister company Hemlock Display, the company runs six core service lines — Mailing, Fulfillment, Distribution, Direct Mail, Data, and Digital Printing — from two specialized Richmond facilities totaling over 56,000 square feet (a 46,000 sq ft fulfillment and distribution center plus a 10,000 sq ft print and mail facility). Its technology stack comprises proprietary order management and barcoding systems, real-time inventory and shipping dashboards, multi-carrier shipping software that selects the lowest-cost route per recipient, and in-house digital printing capacity via Konica Minolta cut-sheet color and monochrome presses with inline finishing. Hemlock Connect holds exclusive Canada Post Smartmail Marketing Expert Partner and USPS Mail Design Professional certifications, plus FSC and Climate Smart sustainability credentials, and serves four primary verticals — retail, publishing, post-secondary education, and non-profit organizations — alongside a horizontal segment of US companies seeking Canadian market entry.

The company generates revenue on a transaction-fee basis across all five service streams (mailing fees, per-order fulfillment charges, distribution margins, per-record data processing fees, and per-print digital printing fees), supplemented by quote-based multi-year contracts for custom projects. It distributes exclusively through direct enterprise sales with dedicated Account Managers, targeting national and mid-market clients with complex print and distribution needs across Western Canada and the United States. Key operational differentiators include a documented capacity to inject over 2,000 orders per day into shipping streams, a bar code-driven workflow that maintains accuracy across multiple locations, eCommerce site-to-warehouse integration, and NCOA-driven data cleansing supporting a 95%+ valid address rate for Canada Post compliance. The company fulfilled a high-profile community initiative of 135,000+ facemasks across 35,000+ orders for Vancouver Whitecaps FC and Vancouver Aquarium in 2020, raising over $125,000 for Vancouver Food Bank.

Name

Hemlock Connect Inc

Legal name

Hemlock Connect Inc.

Website

https://hemlockconnect.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Hemlock Connect Inc. is a Richmond, BC-based B2B provider of integrated printing, direct mail, fulfillment, and distribution services serving retail, publishing, post-secondary education, and non-profit clients across Western Canada and the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Print, Mail and Fulfillment Services

NAICS

Direct Mail Advertising (541860), Couriers and Messengers (492), Local Messengers and Local Delivery (492210)

SIC

Services-Direct Mail Advertising Services (7331), Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330), Service Industries For The Printing Trade (2790)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYTLAAAEAE

Print, Mail & Publishing Distribution Routes

Transportation & Logistics/Courier, Express & Parcel (CEP) / Last-Mile Delivery/B2B Courier & Scheduled Route Delivery

SECONDARYTLAAAEAD

Financial & Legal Document Exchange (Banking, Courts, Law Firms)

Transportation & Logistics/Courier, Express & Parcel (CEP) / Last-Mile Delivery/B2B Courier & Scheduled Route Delivery

Keywords

• Direct mail services
• Fulfillment distribution
• Commercial printing
• Mailing services
• Data management

Headquarters

HQ city

Richmond

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Mailing Services: Comprehensive mailing services including Canadian, USA & International mailings, addressed & unaddressed admail, direct mail, lettershop services, and postal code targeting. Revenue generated through postage fees, service charges, and mailing prep services.
2. Fulfillment Services: eCommerce fulfillment, pick and pack, kitting, and inventory management services. Revenue generated through per-order processing fees, storage fees, and shipping integration charges.
3. Distribution Services: Publication and catalogue distribution, corporate marketing collateral management, retail point-of-purchase materials delivery. Revenue generated through distribution fees and shipping margin.
4. Data Services: Database management, data cleansing, NCOA services, address verification, list acquisition, and targeted mailing lists. Revenue generated through per-record processing fees and list acquisition fees.
5. Digital Printing Services: In-house digital printing including brochures, booklets, postcards, marketing materials, direct mail pieces, and variable data printing. Revenue generated through per-print fees based on quantity and complexity.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Hemlock Connect provides B2B print, mail, fulfillment, and distribution services to enterprise clients. Its six service lines include Mailing (Canadian, US, and international mailings, direct mail, lettershop), Fulfillment (eCommerce pick-and-pack, kitting, inventory management), Distribution (publication, catalogue, and point-of-purchase materials), Direct Mail campaign development, Data Services (database cleansing, NCOA, address verification, list acquisition), and Digital Printing (brochures, postcards, variable data printing using Konica Minolta presses).

Product overview

Hemlock Connect is a service-based company offering six distinct service offerings rather than a unified platform architecture. Services include Mailing, Fulfillment, Distribution, Direct Mail, Data, and Digital Printing. The portfolio works together to provide end-to-end solutions: Digital Printing produces marketing materials in-house, Data services optimize mailing lists, Mailing handles postal processing, Fulfillment manages order fulfillment and kitting, Distribution coordinates shipping, and Direct Mail develops targeted campaigns. The 10,000 square foot Print & Mail Facility handles mailing and digital printing while the 46,000 square foot Fulfillment & Distribution Centre handles storage, distribution, and eCommerce fulfillment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mailing Services Comprehensive mailing services handling Canadian, USA, and international mailings including addressed and unaddressed admail, direct mail, NCOA processing, segmentation and postal sorts, data formatting, lettershop services, and finishing options such as inkjetting, gluing, perforating, folding, inserting, tabbing, polybagging, and shrink wrapping. Targets enterprise B2B clients across western Canada and the US.
• Fulfillment Services Scalable fulfillment services spanning 46,000 square feet featuring eCommerce integration, pick and pack services accommodating various product sizes, and kitting services for retail, post-secondary institutions, subscription boxes, and gift boxes. Includes advanced barcoding system for accuracy across B2C ordering sites and multi-location operations.
• Distribution Services State-of-the-art distribution from a 46,000 square foot Richmond, BC facility offering publication and catalogue distribution, corporate marketing collateral management, and retail point-of-purchase material delivery. Includes multi-carrier shipping software that selects the most cost-effective carrier to each recipient, with partnerships with Canada Post and US Postal Service.
• Direct Mail Campaign Services Direct mail campaign development including campaign strategy, design guidance, audience targeting, and measurement. Leverages Canada Post's Precision Targeter for geographic, demographic, and lifestyle targeting. Includes specialized non-profit development services for donor and supporter outreach.
• Data Services Data services including database management with data cleansing, duplicate elimination, address verification, postal code correction, database consolidation, and segmentation. List acquisition through partnerships with leading North American list providers for targeted B2B and B2C mailing lists.
• Digital Printing In-house digital printing powered by exclusive partnership with Hemlock Printers, featuring two Konica Minolta cut-sheet digital colour presses and three black-and-white digital presses with inline finishing options. Production capabilities include brochures, booklets, postcards, marketing materials, event collateral, direct mail pieces, educational materials, and variable data printing.

Quantifiable outcome

• 96% consumer engagement rate for direct mail
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• Datex Services Ltd.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2022Acquired Datex Services Ltd. in 2022, a BC mailing services company founded in 1969 with 50+ years of experience. Key staff including Stormer Yttri, Perry Jongsma, and Adrian Bartel joined the team. The acquisition brought a 10,000 sq ft mailing facility and expanded data/direct mail capabilities.
• Vancouver Whitecaps FCminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 June 2020Community partnership fulfilling fundraising initiatives including limited edition art prints benefiting Vancouver Food Bank and athletic facemasks for Vancouver Aquarium. Helped raise over $125,000.
• Vancouver AquariumminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 June 2020Partnership to fulfill high performance athletic facemask sales with proceeds benefiting the Aquarium. Exceeded 135,000 facemasks across 35,000+ orders.
• Canada PostcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStrategic partnership as Smartmail Marketing Expert Partner providing exclusive access to mailing insights, technical expertise, and preferential positioning for direct mail campaigns. Enables Canada Post Precision Targeter integration for geographic, demographic, and lifestyle targeting.
• United States Postal Services (USPS)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUSPS Mail Design Professional certification enables creation of tailored US mail campaigns with optimized postage and ZIP code targeting. Leverages USPS networks for cost-effective American mailings.
• Hemlock PrintersflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerExclusive partnership with parent company Hemlock Printers (industry-leading print provider) provides access to Heidelberg offset presses, G7 colour management certification, and comprehensive printing capabilities. Integration enables seamless end-to-end print-fulfillment solutions.
• Hemlock DisplaycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister company partnership providing wide format printing solutions including digital UV, latex, and screen printing for indoor and outdoor signage, window and wall decals, banners, and point-of-purchase displays.
• North American List ProvidersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnerships with leading list providers across North America to connect B2B and B2C clients with target audiences based on geographic, demographic, behavioural, lifestyle, or life stage factors.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• NextPage (direct mail services): US-based direct mail and print management services provider targeting mid-market enterprise clients — overlaps with Hemlock Connect's variable-data printing and direct mail campaign execution capabilities.
• Lowe-Martin Group: Canadian commercial printer and direct mail services provider serving publishing, retail, and non-profit clients — adjacent competitor in the Canadian print + mail + fulfillment space, though with a smaller direct-mail focus than Hemlock Connect.

Direct peers

• Midwest Direct: US-based direct mail marketing company offering print, mail processing, and data services to retail, non-profit, and financial services clients — comparable operational model and customer verticals to Hemlock Connect's mailing and direct mail operations.
• InfoSend: US-based print and mail services provider specializing in customer statements, direct mail, and data processing for utilities, financial services, and non-profits — closely aligned with Hemlock's lettershop and data services capabilities.
• Harte-Hanks: US-based direct marketing services company specializing in data-driven direct mail, fulfillment, and multi-channel marketing — comparable business model and target client verticals (retail, publishing, non-profit) to Hemlock Connect, particularly across the US geography Hemlock serves.
• St. Joseph Communications (St. Joseph): Toronto-based integrated print, direct mail, and marketing communications provider serving retail, publishing, and non-profit clients across Canada — comparable end-to-end service model and vertical mix to Hemlock Connect.
• Data Communications Management (DCM) / DMT Group: Toronto-based DCM is Canada's largest data-driven marketing and customer communications provider, offering direct mail production, print, and document management — directly comparable to Hemlock Connect's mailing, data, and direct mail services for enterprise and financial-services clients.
• DMT Group (Direct Marketing Technologies): US-based direct mail and digital marketing services firm providing print production, mail processing, and data services — directly overlapping with Hemlock Connect's mailing, fulfillment, and data service offerings for enterprise marketing clients.

Broad incumbents

• TC Transcontinental: Montreal-headquartered diversified printing, packaging, and marketing communications giant with significant direct mail and distribution capabilities across Canada — competes for the same enterprise print-mail contracts while offering broader scale and geographic reach.
• Quad/Graphics: Large US-headquartered commercial printer offering integrated print, mail, fulfillment, and distribution services — overlaps with Hemlock's full-stack offering but at significantly larger scale and broader geographic footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/HemlockPrintersLtd
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hemlock-connect
• Instagraminstagram.com/hemlockprinters

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Hemlock Connect Inc