TUESDAY FEBRUARY 13, 2007

KOMUNIK ACQUIRES DATAMARK SYSTEMS
A privately owned, Montreal based specialist in systems used for relationship marketing, Komunik Corp., has acquired publicly traded Datamark Systems Group Inc., and will go public through the deal. Under the terms of the acquisition agreement, Datamark shareholders reportedly will be entitled to shares or cash, or a pro-rated combination of both. The combined entity of Datamark and Komunik will continue under the name Komunik Corporation. Alain Paquin, President and CEO of Komunik Corporation stated:
“The combination of Komunik’s world-class relationship marketing technology platform with Datamark’s infrastructure to print, manage and distribute documents will create tremendous opportunity to leverage Datamark’s client base to our technology platform and gain significant additional market share.”

Earlier in 2006, Komunik also reported the acquisition of Econopost, a Montreal-based company specializing in postal preparation. According to Paquin, more and more of Komunik’s clients incorporate a blend of personalized direct mail, web content and email into their campaigns. He noted this added expertise enables Komunik to either support clients directly or bridge the gap between clients and their printing partners. Learn more: www.komunik.com

GOING GREEN
The mailing industry has its own individual sector initiatives as businesses look to reduce their ecological footprints. In response to good corporate citizenship realities, consumer awareness and expectations, and current or impending government legislation, mailers and their supplier infrastructure are taking important strides to ensure sustainability, in their customer preferred mail medium. Improving data accuracy to reduce waste and improve marketing results; eco-stewardship of the materials used; and customer awareness of these initiatives, play a synchronized role in sustainable development and corporate responsibility. Learn more about these initiatives at The GREEN REPORT round table at the next Toronto Chapter meeting, March 28, the Metropolitan Hotel, Vancouver Room.

Three concurrent round tables will host three different topics, each with expert hosts to both present and discuss ideas. Mark your calendars now. Information on other round table topics and keynote addresses will be released shortly with member invitations. Questions: cporter@mackenziefinancial.com

CEO’s DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT HACKING
CEO’s and business leaders are deeply concerned, as both consumers and business people, about the threats posed by the successful hacking into customer databases. According to the principal findings from the weekly business web-survey conducted by COMPAS for the Financial Post (under sponsorship of BDO Dunwoody LLP) there is a nearly unanimous call for increased legal liability on organizations that store large quantities of hackable customer information. Such organizations should be held legally liable for the financial impact on their customers as a result of hacking and identity theft.The survey results indicate a belief hacking won’t go away, and hackers will maintain their lead, perhaps even increase it over information protection systems.
Learn more: www.compas.ca

IPC RE-ELECTS U.S. POSTMASTER GENERAL AS VICE-CHAIRMAN
U.S. Postmaster General John E. (Jack) Potter has been re-elected as vice-chairman of the International Post Corporation (IPC) Board. The IPC is a cooperative association of 23 national postal operators in Europe, North America, and Asia Pacific, and accounts for 80 per cent of the world’s mail. The corporate mission is the provision of assistance and expertise to facilitate the development and improvement of postal services. The IPC agenda includes monitoring service quality; service improvement; marketing postal services; and terminal dues – the system for exchanging payments between postal operators. Potter and IPC Board chairman, Jean-Paul Bailly, Chairman of France’s La Poste Group, were re-elected in a unanimous vote at the January IPC annual Board meeting.

CANADA POST AND CUPW REACH TENTATIVE AGREEMENT
The National Executive Board (NEB) of the Canadian Union of Postal workers (CUPW) and Canada Post Corporation have reportedly reached an agreement in principle for a new collective agreement to cover the 48,000 members of the urban operations unit. The four year collective agreement would remain in effect until January 31, 2011, provided the terms are ratified by the CUPW membership. Voting will take place locally over the coming weeks.
 

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eView is the electronic bulletin of the National Association of Major Mail Users highlighting issues of interest to business mail communication and delivery professionals. Content: KMR Group. The information contained in eView is obtained from various sources and believed to be reliable but accuracy cannot be guaranteed.