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06.14.2021

West Canadian Digital Imaging Announces Rebrand to WCD

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE West Canadian Digital Imaging Announces Rebrand of 70-Year-Old Company to WCD Long-time Alberta-based digital printing and signage company emphasizes digital focus to guide its future direction and expansion Rebrand reflects WCD’s mission to connect and empower customers through personalized on-demand print and information solutions Calgary, Alberta (June 16, 2021) – West Canadian Digital Imaging Inc., a provider of digital print, signage and document management services since 1952, today announced the launch of a new corporate brand identity and name. The organization will now be known as WCD (“WCD” or the “Company”). Among the changes will be its logo, building and delivery fleet signage, and website domain name (www.wcdconnect.com). The rebrand is part of the Company’s strategy to evolve its business and create a foundation for new and emerging opportunities. A review of the corporate strategy began in late 2019 and was then extended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Company’s leadership team used the additional time to thoroughly review the organization’s direction, the growing impact of technology in the field, and how customers were using print and information services in the rapidly changing work environment. Interviews with employees, customer surveys, focus groups and an expert advisory team helped shape the rebrand and new direction for the Company. The branding research determined the Company’s current brand identity no longer accurately reflected the organization’s national reach and growing set of digital on-demand print and information solutions. The new WCD branding embodies an organization that is reinventing itself, but is still very committed to its roots and the legacy it has built in its core markets. The new identity builds upon its history of innovation and customer service, but also opens doors to future service and geographic expansion. Traditionally an industry leader in its home province of Alberta, the Company has been winning business more recently in new markets including Ontario, the U.S. and Europe. “This is an exciting change for us that reinforces our direction as a digital company that provides print and information solutions to our business customers, and ultimately to their customers. We are focused on WCD’s value proposition and what our people bring to the market. While our commitment to the customers and communities we have always served will not change, there is now greater potential for us to grow the scale and scope of our operations and show what a proud Alberta-based company can bring to other markets. We believe the new WCD brand positions us perfectly for such opportunities.”— Jennifer Brookman, Vice President of Marketing The family-run, Calgary-based company had previously announced a new leadership team as George Brookman passed the reins to his daughter Karen Brookman who became President and CEO in November 2019. Karen has assembled a talented leadership team that includes her sister Jennifer Brookman, Lindsay Duprey, Allan Megarry, Rob Steed, Thomas Cancilla and Bill Stevens. George has remained active with the Company on the rebrand and with corporate strategy as its Chairman. “Under George’s leadership, the company grew and evolved successfully over 36 years and earned a sterling reputation for customer service, quality work and innovative thinking. As our leadership team builds the next generation of the company, we want to accurately reflect our history and reputation while pursuing new markets and geographies. The market research we did confirmed that evolving our name, rather than completely changing it, was the appropriate strategic move for us.” — Karen Brookman, President & CEO Orange Door Direct, the Company’s in-house design agency, will now be known as WCD Creative Services as part of the rebrand. WCD is currently updating its building signage, delivery fleet, customer sales materials, website, and social media channels to reflect the new branding. About WCD As a leader in digital on-demand solutions for print and information, WCD stands behind creative, personalized and integrated services. We help you transform your business, empower your people and share your story. Our leading-edge technology, expansive network of resources and entrepreneurial spirit ensure consistent, quality results in every market we serve. We care deeply about the confidence of our customers and their critical business outcomes. A steadfast Canadian company based in Calgary, Alberta, we’ve made business personal for 70 years. We’re proud to continuously innovate and evolve, so you can too. Discover more ways to cultivate seamless connection – with customers, employees and information. To find out how, visit www.wcdconnect.com.

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04.29.2021

How The Joyful Life Co. Creates Canadian-Made Keepsakes

CUSTOMER SUCCESS STORY Canadian-Made Keepsakes for Life's Meaningful Moments In 2017, friends Melanie Beaudin and Melissa McIntosh had an idea that blossomed into a passion project. Inspired by those special moments with their children that were ever so fleeting, they stumbled on an idea that would help families capture meaningful memories to hand down through generations. "As moms, we're so busy that it's hard to be intentional about slowing down to enjoy the little moments you want to remember," says co-founder Melanie. Today, The Joyful Life Co. creates personalized books that provide writing prompts to record meaningful moments—from baby’s first steps to grandma’s favourite recipe—creating a valued keepsake that lasts a lifetime. Finding the way as a Canadian small business With personalized goods on an upward trend, the business had no trouble hitting the ground running and quickly scaling its customer base. However, finding an efficient way to produce and ship their books was a steeper hill to climb. "There are lots of companies that will print 100 copies of the same book," says Melanie. But since each of their books is uniquely personalized, they needed to be printed individually. "Finding a partner that could print one book at a time, at a reasonable price point, with great quality and with a quick turnaround was a difficult challenge." Melanie and Melissa eventually found a U.S.-based supplier to fulfill their orders, but the trouble didn't stop there. Cross-border shipping created costly delays, and when the orders did arrive, they were often misprinted or damaged from their long journey and needed to be reproduced. "From a management perspective, it was just too much to have to deal with those quality issues," says Melanie. The co-founders began to question if it was worth continuing on with the business. Overcoming hurdles with a supportive fulfillment partner One day, Melanie stumbled across a Facebook post that would change the trajectory of their business. After discovering a Canadian fulfilment partner that could fulfill their book printing locally, they decided to take a chance. "We always wanted to work with suppliers local to Canada, but just hadn't found anyone who could provide these services for us," says Melanie. Prior to making the switch, Melanie and Melissa would receive their U.S. shipment before individually packaging and shipping the books themselves—a daunting and time-consuming task for a growing business. Today, the books are produced, packaged and shipped directly to the customer. "Our customers are getting their books way quicker, they're packaged well and we haven't had any quality issues." "This has really helped streamline things and make the business so much more manageable for us," says Melanie. "We wouldn't have been able to scale if all of this was on us." Creating an exceptional customer experience For The Joyful Life Co., customer experience is a top priority. Since working with a local fulfilment partner, they've seen a measurable improvement in customer satisfaction. Because the books are all made to order, the team now has the flexibility to add in customized content based on requests from their customers (such as altering baby book content for single or adoptive parents). What used to be a 2-3 week shipping estimate has now been reduced to 1-2 weeks, ensuring customers who are ordering a last-minute gift receive their package on time. And finally, customer reviews have dramatically improved. Melanie and Melissa are happy to see customers raving about the quality of the books on their Etsy storefront. "This has made our business manageable and enjoyable again. You've brought the fun back into it, and I'm grateful for that." — Melanie Beaudin, Co-Founder Shop with The Joyful Life Co. Find meaningful gifts for the special people in your life by shopping their collection of personalized keepsake books. Visit their Etsy storefront to shop now.

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04.13.2021

HR Teams: Spend More Time on People, Less on Paper

HR Teams: Spend More Time on People, Less on Paper Human Resources is changing. Today, many business leaders have an increasing expectation for HR to be strategic, forward-thinking and to run like a well-oiled machine – but in reality, HR professionals are consumed by administrative tasks. As gatekeepers to valuable business information like personnel files, payroll information and recruitment data, HR is one of the most information-intensive departments in the business. Challenges in managing corporate information Managing HR paperwork costs an average $300 per employee annually. It's the manual, paper-based processes that consume time, money and resources – not to mention they expose organizations to compliance risks related to security and privacy. Fortunately, there's a solution. HR departments who embrace digital transformation can simplify the way they work, save money, and eliminate distractions so they can focus on strategic priorities that help drive business performance. Information management solutions like M-Files enable HR departments to scan and convert paper records into searchable digital formats, apply workflows to those documents that automate manual tasks, and securely manage employee data no matter where it's stored – whether it's in network folders, email, ERP systems or elsewhere. Why you should make your HR files accessible online 1) Greater control Digitizing paper records and overlaying an intelligent information management solution will save your HR department time and money. With centralized digital access to employee and corporate information, it's easy to find the information you need regardless of where you're working from. No more searching through filing cabinets or network folders. 2) Stronger security and compliance Paper files are prone to risks like theft, fires and floods, leaving organizations exposed to privacy and security risks. In a secure digital environment, HR can manage who accesses sensitive information using advanced security controls and ensure valuable information is retained in compliance with corporate regulations. 3) Easier access for a remote workforce Is your organization's paper-based information stored away in filing cabinets? Is your staff struggling to access critical information easily and efficiently because they're not always at the office? With remote work on the rise, you can enable your HR team by making company records accessible from any device, anywhere. Not only will it make their jobs easier, but it will save the company time and money. Explore M-Files, a content management solution for your HR department >

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02.09.2021

How much does it cost to scan a box of paper records?

How much does it cost to scan a box of paper records? A standard banker's box of documents contains about 1,800 pages. The industry average to scan those records is between $0.10 and $0.17 per page and a standard box of records costs around $250 to scan. Sounds simple, but there's a caveat. If you see a company advertising $0.07 (or lower!) per image price, buyer beware. You get what you pay for. Our standardized pricing models include all basic digitization services like document preparation, scanning, processing, indexing, quality assurance and file delivery. For those companies offering lower than standard pricing, these basic services may be additional costs that could leave you paying triple. We like to be transparent with our customers about the value we provide. Following are 7 common factors that can contribute to the cost of a document scanning and conversion project. Ready for a personalized estimate? Visit our online calculator for per-box pricing > Common factors that affect pricing for document scanning services 1) How much preparation is needed to prepare your files for scanning? Document preparation for scanning can include removing pages from binders, removing staples and other fasteners, folding down corners and ironing out wrinkled pages. If your paper document collection is looking particularly disorganized or messy, this can increase the amount of prep required. 2) Are your pages single- or double-sided? A standard banker's box averages about 1,800 images per box. But be sure to check for double-sided pages in your collection as these will count as two images (front and back). 3) What sizes are your documents? Standard high-speed scanners can work with documents up to 11x17". Documents larger than that (such as architectural drawings, blueprints or maps) need specialty oversized scanning. 4) How many index fields do you need captured? Using Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology, we can make your documents searchable when they're converted to PDFs. Not all OCR technologies are built with the same level of sophistication. The system we use recognizes over 100 languages, ideal for organizations with multilingual documentation. OCR can also capture and recognize index fields in your document which can help to classify and organize information in your content management system. Index fields will change based on your unique requirements. In most cases, customers only require three standard fields based on their industry. However, there are some customers who have more complex needs and can ask for 50+ custom fields. 5) Do you have scanning accuracy compliance requirements? The industry standard for imaging accuracy rating is 99%, meaning for every 100 pages, one has an error. Customers with industry-specific compliance regulations sometimes require up to 99.99% accuracy, which requires additional QC and manual oversight that can add to the cost of your project. 6) Do you want each section, folder or document delivered as a PDF? Whether you want each section (common to land files), folder or document delivered as a PDF will affect your per-box price. If one folder has 10 documents in it, it can quickly be scanned all at once into a single PDF. If each of those documents needs to be separated into their own PDF, this will require more time and therefore higher cost. 7) Where are your records stored and where do you want them scanned? Our team can securely transport your records collection to our compliant scanning facilities in Calgary or Edmonton, or we can deploy records technicians to scan them on-site at your organization. The method you choose and the physical location of your records will factor into the price of your scanning project. Have questions? Leave us a comment below or contact us directly. Online Calculator for Per-Box Scanning Estimates Curious what scanning your banker's boxes will cost you? Check out our online calculator and get an estimate sent instantly to your inbox.

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12.02.2020

West Canadian's 2020 Holiday Hours

Happy Holidays! In the spirit of the holiday season and spending time with loved ones, please be informed that our Calgary and Edmonton corporate offices will have revised hours during the holidays. Dec. 24 - 28 | ClosedDec. 29 - 30 | Open Dec. 31 - Jan. 3 | Closed For questions or help with your order, call 1-800-267-2555 or email our support team.

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11.27.2020

West Canadian's George Brookman Appointed to the Order of Canada

West Canadian Digital Imaging is proud to announce that our Owner and Chairman, George Brookman, has been appointed to the Order of Canada by the Right Honourable Julie Payette, Governor General of Canada. The Order of Canada is one of our country’s highest civilian honours. Its Companions, Officers and Members take to heart the motto of the Order: DESIDERANTES MELIOREM PATRIAM ("They desire a better country"). George is recognized by the Order for his commitment to local business initiatives, and for his multifaceted contributions as a Calgary community leader. Some of his recent community leadership roles include: Director of the Field of Crosses, a veteran's memorial tribute in Calgary; Chairman of Breakfast on the Bridge fundraisers in support of the Calgary Military Family Resource Centre; Ambassador for the Salvation Army's Day of 1,000 Lunches; and Past President and Chairman of the Board of the Calgary Stampede. "To be recognized among thousands of inspiring Canadians is an honour that is both humbling and overwhelming," says George. "This is such a proud moment not just for me, but for my family, friends, colleagues and the many people who have made the journey with me. It’s a true recognition of the importance of community, particularly at this difficult time." Created in 1967, the Order of Canada recognizes outstanding achievement, dedication to the community and service to the nation. More than 7,000 people from all sectors of society have been invested into the Order. Those who bear the Order’s iconic snowflake insignia have changed our nation’s measure of success and, through the sum of their accomplishments, have helped us build a better Canada. Appointments are made by the governor general on the recommendation of the Advisory Council for the Order of Canada. Congratulations to the 114 appointees announced today! For more information on the Order of Canada and recent appointees, click the link below.

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09.09.2020

West Canadian Participates in the #3Things4Neighbours Community Challenge

A community challenge started in March by a Calgary business owner has gone viral in the local community, and West Canadian is the latest to participate. The #3Things4Neighbours social media challenge is designed to encourage Calgarians to carry out acts of kindness amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The challenge began in March when a Calgary business owner created the campaign as a way to give back to the community. Nearly half a year later, what started as a good deed between neighbours has caught on in Calgary's business community, as organizations like ATCO, Enmax,CANA and many others take to video to share three things they are doing to support our local community. Many of the organizations who have completed the challenge have chosen to nominate others to do the same. Thank you to Luke Simpson, President & CEO at CANA for nominating our organization to rise to the challenge. "We have learned that you don't have to be a big company with deep pockets to make a difference. Small acts of kindness and generosity can go a long way and make a positive impact on people around you." — Karen Brookman, President & CEO Watch our video below to see how we are supporting our community this year, and we invite you to join in! We would like to nominate Brent Hesje, CEO of Fountain Tire, Katherine Emberly, President of Business, Brand & Communications at Shaw Business, and Doug Cinnamon, Architect and Studio Managing Principal at DIALOG to complete the challenge. Watch other #3Things4Neighbours challenges on YouTube by clicking the button below. View #3Things4Neighbours on YouTube

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07.21.2020

The Easiest (and Most Affordable) Way to Go Paperless: Scan-to-Zero

It started with a filing cabinet. Then a closet. Eventually, your organization's paper records collection grew so much that your office space couldn't sustain it, so you entered into a contract with a file storage vendor. Sound familiar? Today, the average organization increases its paper consumption by 22% each year, which means there's no sign of that growth stopping anytime soon. Driven by a shift towards remote work and an increase in economic uncertainty, many businesses are now looking to improve their employees' access to company information and reduce their overall operating costs. Thankfully, both objectives can be achieved with a single solution... by eliminating the large volumes of paper in your organization that take up valuable real estate, cost money to store and are very difficult (if not impossible) to access while working remotely. The solution sounds simple—eliminate paper. But often, this can feel like a daunting and expensive endeavour that leaves many businesses wondering, "Where do we start?" Enter Scan-to-Zero. What is Scan-to-Zero? Scan-to-Zero is a method of digitizing your paper records collection that is easy, affordable and flexible. Rather than deploying resources to scan your entire records collection all at once (which can be daunting and expensive), our team will digitize a fixed volume of your records each month until your collection is complete. If your records are taking up space in your office, or you're paying expensive document storage fees, we'll alleviate those pain points right away. At no additional cost, we will store your records at our secure facilities while they're waiting in the queue to be scanned. When it's time for digitization, our experts securely convert, extract and index the valuable data from your records using our state-of-the-art capture technology including an IBML scanner, Kofax Capture and Optical Character Recognition (OCR). Book a complimentary Scan-to-Zero Site Assessment > The Scan-to-Zero Process How does it work? We assess your needs and establish a budget, timeline and technical requirements for your file delivery We securely transport your collection to our storage facilities where your documents await scanning, or we can remove small batches from your office at a time (we're flexible to your needs) Whether your budget is $500 or $5000, we'll scan a fixed rate of documents each month until your paper volume and invoice both reach zeroWhile your files are in the queue waiting to be scanned, you'll still have access to them—just let us know what files you need, and our experts will locate and deliver them securely right awayOnce your documents are digitized, we deliver them to you digitally (and we can also help you with content management solutions and strategies) After they're scanned, West Canadian can safely destroy your records in accordance with compliance regulations, or we can return them safely to you (or a combination of the above) Get started with Scan-to-Zero today > Key Benefits of Scan-to-Zero 1) Eliminate Document Storage Costs and Contracts If your business records are in a document storage facility, you're likely paying a fixed monthly rate on a long-term contract. When that contract is up, there's still no end in sight as your volume of information continues to grow. With Scan-to-Zero, you pay what you want until the work is done and your invoice is zero. 2) Gain Access to Critical Business Records Once your documents are scanned and converted West Canadian offers and support several solutions for digital file delivery and information management. Our experts will work with your unique needs, budget and timelines to determine what's right for you. 3) Improve Workplace Efficiency Research shows that a typical employee spends 30-40% of their time looking for information that's stored away in filing cabinets. Once you've gone digital, you can organize your content repository in a simple and effective way that makes it easy to find information whenever and wherever you need it. Getting Started The first step is a conversation. Take advantage of our complimentary Scan-to-Zero Site Assessment and we'll visit the location of your business records to assess: The approximate volume of your recordsFile types and unique requirements for digitizationYour budget and timeline for going digital Plus, for a limited time get a complimentary proof of concept that includes the scanning and electronic delivery of one banker's box of files. For more information visit the link below. Learn More

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07.01.2020

Enable Your Digital Workforce: 3 Steps to Drive Remote Productivity

As the COVID-19 crisis began to unfold, many organizations had to quickly mobilize a remote workforce with very little warning or preparation. Some of West Canadian's customers reached out to find simple and affordable solutions that would enable their employees to remotely access and collaborate on company documents, no matter where they were working from. As we settle in and adapt to this new world of work, issues and gaps in the process will inevitably continue to surface. Here are three steps organizations can follow to proactively support and empower a productive digital workplace. Step 1: Define your business-critical processes. To meet an immediate need, many employees found temporary workarounds to access their files and information from home. To enable a truly productive, secure and accessible remote work environment, organizations must reassess the situation strategically. Before you can choose a solution for your new digital workplace, you must define your needs. Start by identifying the key stakeholders in your business — HR, Accounting, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing, Sales, etc., and then define the critical processes that each of these groups performs to keep your business running. Some examples include: Does your HR team need access to employee records and policies to manage staff and business continuity during the crisis? Does your accounting team need access to invoices and purchase orders to continue paying vendors and collecting customer payments?Do your sales staff need customer contracts, SOWs and other critical materials to manage accounts and keep revenue flowing? Once you have defined the business-critical processes performed by each stakeholder group, list them in order of priority and identify the roadblocks they are experiencing due to their new remote work environment. Step 2: Determine what you already have available in your technology ecosystem. Once you have a solid understanding of the roadblocks your stakeholders are experiencing, the next step is understanding the tools, technology and expertise you already have available. Some key questions to consider: Where are your company documents stored? Start with the basics. Are your documents paper-based, digital, or both? If your company information is paper-based and stored away in filing cabinets at the office, you will need to consider converting those documents to a digital format and storing them in a secure, cloud-based location. While developing a digital information ecosystem typically requires strategy, there are easy-to-adopt and affordable solutions that will work for the interim. If your documents are digital, where are they stored? If they are in-network folders, are they accessible remotely through a VPN? If they are in email, SharePoint or an ERP system, can they be securely accessed and shared from home? Do you have the in-house expertise to deploy a solution? If there are gaps in your technology that leave your team unable to access information remotely, you may need to deploy an interim solution. In that case, do you have an internal IT team that can champion the initiative and get your digital workforce set up quickly? If not, consider consulting with a trusted partner like West Canadian. Speak to our Digital Transformation Specialist > Step 3: Choose and deploy a solution. You now have a clear understanding of the roadblocks your employees are having getting access to their critical information, and you understand your current technology environment. With this in mind, it's time to choose a technology solution that will work for the interim, but also has the capability to provide value when your employees are back at work. There are several quick to adopt, easy to use and affordable document management solutions that could work for your organization. Which solution you choose depends on factors such as: Complexity of your information environment — Do you have several departments that each need their own repository, or are you a smaller business that needs a single place to store information? Metadata requirements — What type of search functionality do you need to retrieve documentation? Permission controls — Do you require advanced measures for granting access to documentation, or are you fairly lenient? If you're not sure where to get started with choosing an interim document and information management ecosystem, WCD can help. We're Here for You WCD can help you rapidly design and deploy the software,hardware and processes that you need to enable your workforce with quick, simple and secure access to your key business records. Learn more by clicking the link below. Learn More

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