History

A Brief History of our Company

Like many businesses, Williamson’s 70-year history began with energetic people and their commitment to hard work and customer service

Since 1952, Williamson Printing Materials has been a trusted industry leader, providing a single source for best-in-class products, services, and support to the Canadian packaging industry.

Throughout our 70 years in business, we’ve always kept a small team focused on teamwork and personalized customer relationships.

It’s through our people that we continue to achieve and celebrate each new milestone.

Origins

Eugene Williamson, founder, and owner of Williamson & Company, headquartered in Caldwell NJ, along with eight of his employees, had a vision to better serve the Canadian market. In June of 1952 the incorporation of Williamson Printing Materials Limited came about in the small town of Grimsby, Ontario.

A move to our current location in 1959 offered 5,000 square feet of warehousing, offices, and cold storage under one roof. As the company grew, a much-needed expansion took place in 1986 tripling the size of the operation. The company continues to operate out of the same location to this day.

Our Focus on People

Shortly after Williamson set up its new Canadian operation, they hired their first employee through a bit of luck and happenstance. Morley McCallum spending a day out with his brother found himself in the new Grimsby office on an insurance sales call. Morley would go on to eventually became the company’s majority share holder.

Ross and Nancy, two of Morley’s three children, guided the business through the 80’s, 90’s and 00’s and would eventually acquire full ownership in 2012. Current president Ross McCallum represents the family’s interest in the business to this day.

Long-term dedication is a fundamental part of the company’s DNA. Many employees have surpassed the 35-year mark with a strong continued commitment to maintaining great customer relationships and letting both partners and teammates know we’re open, flexible and team oriented. 

Technology and Industry Changes

Williamson has also consistently stayed at the forefront of technology and industry changes.

In the early 1980’s, Toyobo’s Printight letterpress plate was introduced in Canada. This transformed the forms, dry-offset, and letterpress industries forever. This was followed by the introduction of Cosmolight, a water wash Flexo plate in the 1990’s. This offering remains strong to this day in both a digital and analogue version.

The mid-1990’s would also see the introduction of the first digital photopolymer plates. Followed by the industries first thermal processed photopolymer plates in the early 2000’s.

Identifying a need, and researching all options, Williamson launched a full-scale distillation service in 2000 to help manage the alternative solvent waste stream of many photopolymer plate producers.

Our product offerings have expanded accordingly. While familiar brands like 3M and TESA have been with us for years, we continue to partner with industry leaders like DuPont, and Daetwyler. Williamson continues to seek new industry partners, who can all be found on our website.

Through all the decades, Williamson has adapted, invested, and changed. The company rebranded in the 80’s and 90’s, with it’s most recent rebrand in 2012. A completely revised website launched in 2020, followed by a new ERP system in 2021, complete with customer portal capability.

Looking to the Future

Looking back on our 70 years in business, Williamson can point to certain things that have made us successful over the years — teamwork, technical know-how, adaptability, and customer relationships. As we plan for the future, Williamson will continue building on these strengths to tackle and overcome the challenges ahead.