[ Transcon buys direct marketing company Rastar ]

http://www.marketingmag.ca/english/news/media/article.jsp?content=20080904_173232_13276
Transcontinental Inc. is acquiring Rastar, Inc., a privately owned U.S.-based direct marketing company that specializes in producing fully personalized marketing communications.

Financial terms of the purchase weren’t disclosed in Thursday’s announcement.
However, Transcontinental said Rastar’s 350 employees will join the Montreal-based printing and publishing company, which has a total workforce of about 15,000 in Canada, the United States and Mexico.

Rastar founder and chief executive officer, Kevin Despain, and Rastar president Grant Fletcher will maintain their leadership roles.

Transcontinental said Rastar generates about US$50 million in revenue.
That’s a small amount compared with the C $2.3 billion in revenue last year at Transcontinental’s other operations but the Montreal-based company said it sees great potential at Rastar.

“When you combine Rastar’s... leadership in interactive database marketing with Transcontinental’s vision and scope, we are only just beginning to explore the potential of the integrated marketing services we can now offer our clients,” said Francois Olivier, Transcontinental’s president and chief executive officer.