Thorold-based Book Depot was recognized for overall business performance and sustained growth with the prestigious Canada’s Best Managed Companies designation.
Largest Bargain Book Wholesaler and Retailer in North America
Book Depot is the largest bargain book wholesaler and retailer in North America, and their people are at the heart of everything they do. Guided by their core values and passion for achieving results at work and in life, they are driven to provide a consistently exceptional customer experience for all those their products and services reach, through constant growth and innovation. An entrepreneurial culture has been the key to their success as they embrace technology to innovate and achieve operating excellence.
Book Depot Head Office Is Located at 67 Front St N, Thorold
Book Depot is headquartered in 500,000 square foot production facility located in Thorold. The facility is equipped with state-of-the-art automated order fulfillment technology and more than 500 employees. Prior to the Book Depot moving into a former paper mill, companies such as Provincial Paper, Montrose, Abitibi, and Gallagher. Today, the Book Depot facility has been repurposed and modernized to serve for the company to ship books to more than 80 countries.
“We are honored to receive the prestigious Canada’s Best Managed Companies award during a year that is truly unlike any other. We are proud to join a select group of Canadian companies who have inspired us with their leadership in areas of innovation, strategy, and culture. We express our deepest thanks to the entire Book Depot family, our valued clients, and our many partners who have placed their trust in us for so many years.”
Wilf Wikkerink, CEO of Book Depot.
The 2021 Best Managed program award winners are amongst the best-in-class of Canadian owned and managed companies with revenues over $25 million demonstrating leadership in the areas of strategy, capabilities and innovation, culture and commitment, and financials to achieve sustainable growth. Now in its 28th year, Canada’s Best Managed Companies remains one of the country’s leading business awards programs recognizing Canadian-owned and managed companies for innovative, world- class business practices. Every year, hundreds of entrepreneurial companies compete for this designation in a rigorous and independent process that evaluates the calibre of their management abilities and practices.
Applicants are evaluated by an independent judging panel comprised of representatives from program sponsors in addition to special guest judges. 2021 Best Managed companies share commonalities that include (but are not limited to) enabling a remote workforce, making employee health a top priority, acting with an increased sense of purpose and social responsibility, and a significantly heightened focus on cash flow.
“This year’s Best Managed winners demonstrate the organizational grit required to thrive in these increasingly uncertain times.
Peter Brown, Partner, Deloitte Private and Co-Leader, Canada’s Best Managed Companies program.
By putting their people first, and showing the courage to experiment and take risks, they were able to overcome some of today’s most pressing challenges. This year’s winners were able to succeed because they weren’t afraid to fail.”