May 1st, 2007 Cover-All Computer Services Corp. finalized the purchase of SMART DM, creating a single umbrella organization that is capable of servicing all the mail communication needs of existing clients and new prospects alike. <COVER-ALL>

The unique aspect to this arrangement is that Cover-All and Smart DM will be running on “like” platforms with the intent being that work will be hot swappable creating the ultimate disaster recovery capabilities. Ultimately it allows clients access to two separately managed, stand-alone facilities, yet with combined expertise going back decades and vast volume capabilities.

On June 1^st 2006, the name SMART DM was launched from a new location at 324 Horner Avenue in Etobicoke.  This name is a derivative of the two halves of the organization that were merged in 1996 to form SMR Tytrek.

To truly understand the core values of SMART DM we must travel back in time to before the lettershops and even before many commercial printers known today.  Back to 1929.  Although not solely in the Direct Marketing Industry but well entrenched in the broader graphic arts industry SMART DM has one of the longest histories in the industry, dating back to 1929 as Hamilton Ruling and Bindery Services.

In 1959 the company was purchased from Bill Driscoll by Harry Tier.  These early days were truly as a trade shop to the print industry and stories abound, even back then, of achieving the impossible for clients with late nights and a “make it happen” approach.

During the 70’s and 80’s Bob Tier took over from his father and began to look at the forefront of the industry and in some cases looking beyond the forefront to what can be done?  With this foresight the company was moved to a new location in Hamilton, a second location opened in Toronto and the name updated to just “Bindery Services”. 

Bindery Services  was one of the first binderies in Canada to install a “Mailer” – a piece of equipment capable of performing various functions such as folding, application of glue, timed cutting, pocket forming on one single line.  It is a niche that today SMART DM still excels in.

In the early 90’s, once established in the Specialty Finishing market, focus was turned towards in-line variable inkjetting and Bindery Services became the first bindery to offer the service of inkjetting on bindery equipment.  These first endeavors in inkjetting proved challenging as this was the leading edge of the market and equipment was pulled from different market segments – inkjet heads from the packaging industry (one of the reasons some of SMART DM’s inkjets, are of lesser quality but can adhere to anything) and controllers from elsewhere and software to control and track developed in-house.

In 1993 the name was updated to Tytrek Graphic Finishers to reflect the consolidation of Bindery Services  and Quality Bind (A Division of A.B.L. Mailing) forming one of Canada’s largest finishing shops.

The SMR Group was formed in 1976 as Dodd and Richardson Limited with three 12 station inserters.  D & R focused on the burgeoning couponing business in the late 70s.  Ironically the cost effectiveness of the unaddressed concept remains quite valid today and SMART DM remains one of the leaders in that area.

In 1980 the company was changed to SoMoRich Marketing to reflect the triad of owners: Southam, Morris and Richardson.  Southam was responsible for the media aspect of the mainstay of business.  MacLaren Morris and Todd was responsible for all the printing.  And Richardson assumed the duties of all the production of the national co-op.

In the late eighties SMR Marketing (shortened from SoMoRich) began to develop additional business services.  Mainly insertion on high volume mailings SMR acquired a reputation for being able to plough through very large quantities of mail on the many inserters they owned.

In the early 90’s SMR Marketing looked towards developing the added skills of data, laser, and fulfillment and purchased two smaller organizations:  Seromskis Mailing Services and The Service Lettershop from Hamilton.  Seromskis was a small but well established hand work shop that specialized in fulfillment.  While SLS,  being owned by Grey Advertising, specialized in the data and lasering with a good background the agency world as well.

In 1996 the direct marketing skills of SMR were merged with the specialty finishing foresight of Tytrek to create SMR Tytrek, the largest organization capable of performing both traditional data and lettershop and specialty work.  To this day we bring the enthusiasm for people that was instilled in all of us by the founder of SMR.  And the passion and focus of overcoming production challenges that Tytrek’s majority shareholder has been instilled in the management team and all staff member today making our tage line “it can be done” a motto with some serious teeth.