Annex Business Media has entered into a manufacturing agreement with Cober to assume all of Annex’s magazine printing effective Nov 1, 2024. Annex, an omni-channel B2B media company, will print 50+ media brands with Cober, an ultra-modern, quality printer with three facilities across Ontario. Annex will cease operations at its Simcoe printing facility October 31.
“Our history in the printing business dates back to our founding over 30 years ago, and we have been fortunate to run a high-quality, customer-focused facility in Simcoe all that time,” says Annex CEO Scott Jamieson. “As our business evolves and the printing sector increasingly becomes best-suited to dedicated operations with the technology and scale to excel, a partnership with a leading print supplier makes perfect sense. We could not ask for a better print and distribution partner than Cober as we focus on growing our media business.”
The move allows Annex to focus investments on such growth areas as events and digital marketing solutions, as well as in acquisitions and new marketing technology. While print advertising remains a dynamic part of Annex’s business, the reduced volume of printing, higher input costs and fewer external clients made re-investment in the plant hard to justify.
“I would like to thank our plant staff for their service,” Jamieson adds. “We have been spoiled for service and flexibility with our in-house operation, one of the very last remaining in the global B2B media space.”
Cober is in the process of adding an additional 100,000 + square feet to their main Kitchener facility, bringing its footprint to over 200,000 square feet, aimed at supporting ongoing customer growth and an evolving service offering.
“We are honoured that the Annex team has entrusted us with this opportunity,” says Cober president Todd Cober. “Annex is a deeply respected organization, and we have been fortunate to have a relationship with their team for quite some time. We are truly excited to formally take this partnership to the next level. With the strength of the Annex brand and its various publications, along with the investments we have made in our facility, our team and our infrastructure, we are certain this will be a successful partnership from all perspectives and feel privileged to be supporting Annex well into the future.”
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Cober is a 108-year-old family run business with a team of 200+ operating out of three different facilities across Ontario. They have invested significantly in expanding and modernizing their operations.
Annex Business Media is an Employee-Management Partnership and Canada’s largest B2B media company, with 155 employees, two offices in Ontario and staff across the country. Market segments and omni-channel reach include construction, resources, agriculture, manufacturing, public safety, professional services and more.
