Staples (Canada) - History

History

The Business Depot Ltd. was originally founded by Jack Bingleman in 1991, with Staples as a substantial investor, opening Business Depot stores in Ontario and later Atlantic Canada and Bureau en Gros locations in Quebec. The American counterpart eventually acquired 100% of the Canadian company in 1994. Around this time, the company began to open stores in western Canada under the Staples: The Office Superstore label, like their U.S. counterparts.

The company later began converting locations in English-speaking markets to a combined brand, initially tested as Staples: The Business Depot and later rolled out as Staples Business Depot. This conversion was completed in 2001, with Quebec locations retaining Bureau en Gros.

In 2008, the company began shortening its brand to Staples in English Canada to avoid confusion with rival Office Depot, to provide more continuity with their stores in the U.S. and overseas, and reduce costs associated with Staples brand merchandise packaging that was made specifically for Canada. In Quebec, products that were previously rebranded Bureau en Gros now remain Staples branded products. This change was "soft launched"; Staples will update the logo as the company reorders supplies which will significantly reduce costs associated with a brand change, and older locations still retain the full Staples Business Depot signage. The Business Depot Ltd. remained the legal name of the main Canadian subsidiary until 2008 when the company's name was changed to Staples Canada, Inc. There are rumours about Staples retiring the Bureau en Gros name for stores.

In 2008, Staples, Inc. acquired Corporate Express which will be running under the banner Staples Advantage, running alongside the other Canadian business delivery units Staples Business Delivery and Staples Industrial.