Canada

Canada is a country in the northern part of North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic to the Pacific and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering 9.98 million square kilometres (3.85 million square miles), making it the world’s second-largest country by total area. Its southern border with the United States, stretching 8,891 kilometres (5,525 mi), is the world’s longest bi-national land border. Canada’s capital is Ottawa, and its three largest metropolitan areas are Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver.

Various indigenous peoples inhabited what is now Canada for thousands of years before European colonization. Beginning in the 16th century, British and French expeditions explored and later settled along the Atlantic coast. As a consequence of various armed conflicts, France ceded nearly all of its colonies in North America in 1763. In 1867, with the union of three British North American colonies through Confederation, Canada was formed as a federal dominion of four provinces. This began an accretion of provinces and territories and a process of increasing autonomy from the United Kingdom. This widening autonomy was highlighted by the Statute of Westminster of 1931 and culminated in the Canada Act of 1982, which severed the vestiges of legal dependence on the British parliament.

Canada is a parliamentary democracy and a constitutional monarchy in the Westminster tradition, with a monarch and a prime minister who serves as the chair of the Cabinet and head of government. The country is a realm within the Commonwealth of Nations, a member of the Francophonieand officially bilingual at the federal level. It ranks among the highest in international measurements of government transparency, civil liberties, quality of life, economic freedom, and education. It is one of the world’s most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations, the product of large-scale immigration from many other countries. Canada’s long and complex relationship with the United States has had a significant impact on its economyand culture.

A developed country, Canada has the seventeenth-highest nominal per-capita income globally as well as the thirteenth-highest ranking in the Human Development Index. Its advanced economy is the tenth-largest in the world, relying chiefly upon its abundant natural resources and well-developed international trade networks. Canada is part of several major international and intergovernmental institutions or groupings including the United Nations, NATO, the G7, the Group of Ten, the G20, the North American Free Trade Agreement and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperationforum.

Photo Credits
Photo by Ali Tawfiq on Unsplash
Photo by Nic Amaya on Unsplash
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Emballage Mega Packaging — The Risk Creating Capacity for Growth · Marco Macri & Marcus Guilding

Emballage Mega Packaging was founded in Montreal in 1991 by a family — and more than three decades later, that family feeling still defines the company. Specializing almost entirely in folding cartons, Emballage Mega Packaging handles printing, die-cutting, gluing, window patching, laminating, and more in-house. But the owners believe that sustainable growth depends on more than equipment. Great employees, great customers, and great suppliers are the three pillars they believe make a successful business. That philosophy also influences which customers they work with. Rather than chasing growth at any cost, Emballage Mega Packaging looks for customers with similar values and grows alongside them — protecting the service and relationships that have been built over many years. The same thinking played an important role when Emballage Mega Packaging made one of the biggest investment decisions in its history. After working with the same press manufacturer for 32 years, moving to Koenig & Bauer was not an obvious decision. It meant leaving behind something familiar and taking a significant financial risk. But after studying the new press's technology, productivity, service, and capabilities, Emballage Mega Packaging decided it was the right move. The result came quickly. Previously, two presses produced around 120–130 hours per week, and Emballage Mega Packaging was consistently operating close to capacity. With the new Koenig & Bauer press, production initially dropped to around 100 hours, and today sits at around 80 hours per week — despite increased business. The six-color hybrid press with coating, UV capabilities, and extended delivery also means work can move faster from printing directly into die-cutting and finishing. But growth doesn't stop with the press. Emballage Mega Packaging is adding die-cutting and gluing capacity and implementing a new ERP system to improve traceability, organization, and productivity throughout the company. In this INKISH film, we meet Emballage Mega Packaging and hear a very personal story about family, employees, customers, suppliers, technology, and why sometimes growth requires leaving behind what you've known for decades and taking a calculated risk. Because in business, not every investment works from day one. But sometimes — it actually does.

Buying the Second Press from us is the strongest statement · Brad Ranson · VP Sales & GM · KOMCAN

When a printing company buys a second press from the same manufacturer, it is probably one of the strongest statements you can make about the first one. At Produlith in Montreal, Canada, INKISH’s Morten B. Reitoft meets Brad from Komcan, the Canadian Komori distributor, to talk about a relationship that started when Produlith needed to replace two older presses. The solution was a Komori GLX six-color press equipped with coating and Komori’s PQA camera inspection system. According to Brad, the new press replaced the capacity of two legacy machines while almost doubling Produlith’s production capacity — and reducing the manpower required to operate the equipment. But increased productivity often creates new opportunities. As Produlith continued to grow, take on new customers, and expand its folding carton business, the company once again reached the capacity limits of its pressroom. The answer was a second Komori — this time a GL five-color press with coater, configured specifically for the work Produlith needed it to handle. For Brad, selling presses is ultimately about understanding the customer’s work rather than simply selling a standard configuration. Commercial printing, folding cartons, special applications — the press needs to fit the customer rather than the other way around. Today, only about a year after installing the second Komori, that press is already approaching capacity. So what comes next? Produlith owner Sean has already made it clear that Komori and Komcan are part of the company’s future — and with the growth continuing, another press might not be such a far-fetched idea. Watch the conversation from Produlith in Montreal and hear how productivity, technology, customer understanding, and a strong supplier relationship have helped support the company’s continued growth.

Buying Again Is the Strongest Endorsement · Shawn Descmarchais · Produlith

In Montreal, Canada, Morten B. Reitoft from INKISH meets with Shawn Desmarchais, President and CEO of Produlith, a family-owned company with a history going back to 1981. What started when Shawn’s father bought his first press and established a small commercial printing company has developed into a packaging business with two production facilities and activities in both folding cartons and flexible packaging. During the visit, Shawn Desmarchais explains why he believes these are good times to be in packaging. Modern equipment has changed production significantly, making machines easier to operate while increasing efficiency, quality, and productivity. Technology also plays an important role when finding and training new employees, as operating today’s presses, die-cutters, and folder-gluers no longer necessarily requires the same traditional craftsmanship as in the past. Produlith has chosen to focus on personalized service combined with what Shawn describes as a world-class production environment. A significant part of the company’s business is within pharmaceutical packaging, where quality standards are high and customers understand the importance of working with suppliers that continuously invest in equipment, people, and production capabilities. For Shawn, profitability and investment go hand in hand, and customers benefit from working with financially healthy suppliers able to develop with their needs. At the folding carton facility, Produlith operates Komori offset presses supplied by Komcan, along with BOBST equipment for die-cutting and folding/gluing. Shawn explains why selecting technology is not only about the equipment itself but equally about the relationship with the supplier. Reliability, service, understanding the customer’s business, and having people available when challenges occur are important parts of the investment decision. The conversation also touches on maintenance, uptime, return on investment, and why Produlith decided to invest in a second Komori press. For Shawn Desmarchais, the logic is quite simple: if the experience with the first press had not been successful, there would probably not have been a second one.

Christine Jones Harris · Principal, Corporate Development · Jones Healthcare Group

Visiting Jones Healthcare Group was a blast. Not only because of how they use their Koenig & Bauer presses, or the vast number of die-cutters, and folding/gluers from various vendors, but also because of visiting a company that has specialized in healthcare are set by very high requirements and safety point of view. Jones Healthcare is a global company with facilities in both the US and Europe. Besides the printing part, Jones Healthcare also develops packaging solutions for medicine, and if not enough, they also do the actual packaging of medicine. An amazing story about a family company that has a rather unique story, but watch and listen.

Marg Macleod · Association Manager · DIA Digital Imaging Association

Marg Macleod is the Association Manager for DIA, the Canadian Digital Imaging Association, and the President of IBEC Consulting. We are speaking with individuals from various countries around the world to share their perspectives on the impact of the Trump Administration's tariffs and the global uncertainty. We begin with Marg Macleod as a neighbor to the US - how does this influence her personally and business-wise, and what impact does it have on the industry? Just an opinion - and we allow ALL opinions (within what's legal, of course) and we are true believers that sharing knowledge, views, and ideas strengthens us. Enjoy a conversation and participate by sharing your views or getting an interview with us at INKISH. You are ALWAYS welcome to write to editor@inkish.tv.

Julie Watson · CEO Ultimate Bindery Ultimate Tech · Hunkeler Innovationdays 2025 #HID25

In the previous Ultimate Tech interview, we discussed the new version of Impostrip. We were honestly so busy that we didn't get a chance to talk to Julie Watson about the latest version of Ultimate Bindery, but Pat McGrew took the chance to talk and get the update, and here we are!

Julie Watson · CEO · Ultimate Tech · Hunkeler Innovationdays 2025 · #HID25

As always, I'm talking to CEO Julie Watson from Ultimate Tech. In this interview, we get insight into the Impostrip version 25 and Bindery version 25, shown at Hunkeler Innovationdays 2025 in Lucern. We also get a chance to talk about how the new breed of solutions, such as CoCoCo, Atomyx, GelatoConnect, and more, are influencing companies like Ultimate—are they an extension or a threat? As usual, you'll get all the answers straight from the CEO's mouth. Enjoy!

Spot On Sustainability · Joanne Gore & Morten B. Reitoft · LIVE Xeikon booth PRINTING United 2024

Spot On is an open and frank discussion about different topics—hot topics exchanged and discussed between Joanne Gore from Canada and Morten B. Reitoft from Denmark. The question is, can they agree? Yes, no, or maybe. Watch the first episode here, and stay tuned for future exchanges! This time about sustainability!

Andrew Bailes Collins Head of Product Ultimate Tech · LabelExpo Americas 2024

Andrew Bailes Collins of Ultimate Tech discusses the software developer's partnership with Canon to provide the digital front-end for the press manufacturer's new LabelStream LS2000 water-based inkjet press, unveiled at Labelexpo Americas 2024.

Chris Harrington · Laminators VP Sales · Graphic Whizard · PRINTING United Expo 2024

A laminator debut and two laminator workhorses on display with Graphic Whizard - and, as usual, a Chris Harrington that presents the machines, so we easily understand the differences. It was first later the same day that I realized that Harrington started many years ago as a technician and, therefore, has the same passion for diving deep into his and competitors' products. As usual, filming with Chris Harrington, and the Micro (new) and the two other laminators seem to be a good fit for many, so check them out - here on INKISH.

Julie Watson Ultimate Tech CEO Ultimate Tech PRINTING United Expo 2024

Ultimate Tech was the first company in the industry to use computers for imposition, and the signature software, Impostrip, is used globally by thousands of companies. In the past years, Ultimate Tech has developed products for binderies and large-format, and here at PRINTING United, the company shows its BestCut solution, helping operators optimize the guillotine work. As always super interesting listening to CEO Julie Watson.

Chris Harrington VP Sales Graphic Whizard Reporting from Drupa 2024

Chris Harrington shows a couple of new products delivered by Canadian-based Graphic Whizard. Dig in :-)

Julie Watson · Ultimate Tech PreDrupa LIVE May 14th 2024 Replay

Morten Reitoft and Julie Watson discuss Ultimate Tech's preparations and excitement for Drupa 2024. Watson highlights the company's recent activities, partnerships, and technology introductions. She explains that while Printing United was significant for introducing new technologies like the AI-driven cutting buddy and new nesting technologies, Drupa remains crucial for showcasing its latest innovations to a global audience. Watson mentions the upcoming releases, including the 2024.1 version of Impostrip with enhanced job organization features and compatibility with PDF X4 from the Ghent Workgroup. She also discusses their container version of Impostrip on AWS, demonstrating their commitment to cloud-based solutions. Ultimate Tech will showcase its full-featured solutions across multiple platforms (Linux, Mac, Windows). Reitoft asks about Ultimate Tech's integration capabilities, particularly with their Ultimate Bindery software, which automates finishing processes and supports over 85 devices. Watson explains that their drivers validate jobs and automate device setups, allowing seamless integration and reduced manual intervention. They discuss Impostrip/Bindery's scalability, highlighting its ability to handle high volumes of short-run digital print jobs efficiently. Watson emphasizes the importance of starting with automation and gradually integrating more processes and devices to enhance productivity. Watson also discusses integrating their solutions with other systems, such as MIS and Web2Print platforms, using APIs for open connectivity. She mentions their collaboration with Omikai to showcase an end-to-end workflow solution at Drupa. Reitoft and Watson conclude by discussing the logistical ease of being a software company at Drupa compared to hardware manufacturers and the historical significance of Ultimate Tech's participation since 1990. Watson shares a personal anecdote about her family’s long-standing involvement in the industry.

Ray Duval Ultimate TechnoGraphics HP PreDrupa Event

What is the biggest difference between exhibiting at events like DSCOOP, theINK, PRINTING United, and the almighty Drupa? We ask the question and get a perspective from a company that seems to be becoming more involved - and as always - it's all about automation, automation, and automation. Enjoy! LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raymondduval/

Printing United 2023 Andrew Bailes-Collins Head of Product Management Ultimate TechnoGraphics

Ultimate TechnoGraphics is one of the absolute forerunners in the workflow/automation part of the graphic arts industry - not only because of the workflow/automation software but also because of their openness. In the months before PRINTING United, the company announced several partnerships and some major product announcements, like a brand new nesting engine, but too many, maybe even more important, an option to scale processing power dynamically as needed. This interview with Andrew Bailes-Collins - Head of Product Management - gives us great insights, so get on board - NOW!

Printing United 2023 Chris Harrington VP Sales Graphic Whizard

We passed their booths at previous North American print shows and always wanted to meet them, and suddenly, an invite to a party on Wednesday evening gave us an opportunity. Chris Harrington is the VP of sales, and as you may already know, Graphic Whizard does things differently than most. Two times a year, they do road trips showing customers, offering training, and well - as Editor Morten B. Reitoft says - if Mohammed doesn't come to the mountain, the mountain must come to Mohammed. Nice concept, and well - listen to what Chris Harrington has to say!

Printing United 2023 Dan Deveau Owner Camad AGFA Reunion+

Dan Deveau owns Camad in Toronto, and INKISH filmed at his company a little more than a year ago. Meeting Dan Deveau again was super. Before we started, he said, 'It's impossible to tell my company's story short' - but we made an attempt, and one of the conclusions is that shifting from screen printing to digital saved the company - but listen for yourself. PRINTING United is about technology, business, and networking. Often, gatherings are organized at the booth when the show nears the closing hours, and people are invited to join for a party. That is exactly what happened at AGFA's booth on the second day of PRINTING United. We suggested Deborah Hutcheson from AGFA invite some of the AGFA customers we filmed for the past years for a 'reunion,' and five super nice people agreed to join us.

Automation, automation & automation Raymond Duval Ultimate TechnoGraphics from HP #PrintAhead

It has been a busy year for Canadian Ultimate TechnoGraphics. New major upgrades to its Impostrip software, an entirely new nesting engine, new partner announcements, and Scalable software technology - as you can understand, good reason to talk to Raymond Duval. We will also meet Ray and his colleagues at PRINTING United to dig more into details, but this is, as always, great talking to him. Enjoy!

Ultimate TechnoGraphics and Horizon Collaboration Julie Watson · CEO · Ultimate TechnoGraphics

An article published on INKISH.NEWS about an extended collaboration between Horizon International and Ultimate TechnoGraphics got our attention, and we reached out to both parties to hear more. Here is the first (of two) where CEO Julie Watson, Ultimate TechnoGraphics, explains that Horizon and Ultimate TechnoGraphics have worked together for a long time - and without saying anything specific, the new collaboration could mean tighter integration and new products released. We are excited, and though not specific - enjoy this interview with Julie Watson!

Raymond Duval · Ultimate TechnoGraphics · Graphics Canada 2023

Ultimate TechnoGraphics and Raymond Duval are Canadians by heart, and exhibiting in your backyard is special. Duval talks about the potential and how Impostrip supports many businesses in the global printing industry. We ALSO talk about what to say to those who have identified that they may have been too late for the game - interesting conversation with Duval, as usual!