Things are happening down by the fishermen’s wharf, off Ludlow Road in Ladysmith. What looks like the footings for a bridge to the mainland is actually construction of Madill - The Office Company’s new headquarters and warehouse.
In 2001, the Madill family purchased Island Copy Centre from Bob Lloyd (their stepfather) and changed the name of the business to E. Madill Office Company (later becoming Madill - The Office Company). The company moved to Ladysmith in 2004 and expanded into the Victoria market. Ladysmith was chosen as it was the midpoint between Qualicum and Victoria. The company continues to grow, now serving Vancouver Island, as far north as Campbell River, Greater Vancouver, Edmonton, Red Deer and Calgary.
Today the company is employee-owned with 43 full-time employees. The present Ladysmith office acts as Madill headquarters and is over 12,000 sq. ft. From this location, six trucks serve customers between Victoria and Campbell River. The Ladysmith office/warehouse, located on Rocky Creek Road, has 28 employees. There is also an 8,000 sq. ft. building in Burnaby with seven trucks serving as far east as Chilliwack. This division started in 2009 and employs seven people. Another 9,000 sq. ft. warehouse, in Edmonton started in 2015, has five employees and four trucks serving the city as well as Red Deer and surrounding areas. Madill opened a Calgary office and warehouse in 2018 which now houses three employees and has two trucks.
What is happening on Ludlow Rd. is the construction of a 22,000 sq. ft. office, warehouse and distribution centre for Madill. The goal is to have at least another ten employees working in the new Ladysmith operation in five years. Madill’s plan was to open another facility in Ontario, but this was put on hold during the pandemic.
Covid-19 has had an impact on the business with many offices, in larger centres, limiting office access and encouraging staff to work from home. Not only have these larger businesses cut back on products needed in their offices but these large businesses, when operating, support many restaurants, retail shops, hotels, etc. Many of these smaller businesses have either downsized or closed altogether. Madill services many tourism-based businesses and travel has been hit hard as well due to the impact of COVID-19.
The company will retain the existing office/warehouse building after the move, and look to lease it to an enterprise seeing an opportunity in the Ladysmith community. The scheduled time for the opening of the new building is in May of 2022.