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Prologue
1650, boulevard Lionel-Bertrand
Boisbriand (Québec)
J7H 1N7
Téléphone : (450) 434-0306
Sans frais : 1-800-363-2864
prologue@prologue.ca
Carte virtuelle (vCard)
About us
The company
Core business
Prologue Inc. is a Canadian book distributor providing trade book publishers with a full range of marketing, sales representation and distribution services for French language books and other book-related products throughout Québec and French Canada. Its customer base totals 4,500 accounts. Prologue markets and distributes, on an exclusivity basis, books of a large number of publishers from Canada and Québec as well as from France, Belgium, Germany and Switzerland.
Company history
Prologue Inc. was established in 1976 by Francine Paquette and Guy Saint-Jean initially to represent a number of French language publishers from Québec and Europe. Prologue grew through the eighties and nineties to become one of Québec’s largest book distributors. Consequently, throughout the years, it had to move a few times into larger premises until its own warehouse and office building was built in 1990. The building was enlarged in 2001, in 2003 and in 2005. A second distribution center was built in 2007.
Guy Langlois bought Guy Saint-Jean’s shares in 1996 and joined the company as Chairman and CEO. He initiated a program to further expand Prologue’s operations. Francine Paquette is President of the company.
Prologue has enjoyed constant growth for 34 years.
Our services
Range of services
Prologue has succeeded over the years by offering services at all levels
of book marketing and distribution:
- Sales and marketing:
National sales representation
Periodic flyers
Press kits and review copies to media and follow up
Special book promotions, author tours, book launches, etc.
Co-op advertising
P.O.P. displays and retail merchandising
Participation in regional, national and international book fairs
- Distribution services:
Warehousing
Inventory control and management
Order fulfillment
Billing, accounting and collection
Minimum delays in order/delivery cycle, even in remote areas
- Monthly sales reports throught the Internet to its publishers
National Sales Representation
40 sales people are active in sales and marketing of French language books distributed by Prologue.
Prologue’s field and operations sales staff includes some of the most experienced and highly-skilled people in the Québec book industry. All sales representatives have been trained to maximize orders by backlist selling as well as through frontlist sales.
The Prologue sales team is thoroughly experienced in selling general trade and scholarly titles, fiction and non-fiction, art books, children’s books, computer books, books related merchandise and sideline products.
Press relations
Prologue is in constant contact with Québec's mass and news media to introduce new releases and to provide information on new books through press kits, review copies and press releases. Prologue also organizes various media events including press conferences, author tours, interviews and book launches.
Information Technology
Prologue is equipped with state-of-the-art Information Technology. This technology allows all levels of its organization to efficiently meet the growing requirements of publishers as well as retailers.
Prologue’s powerful computer system, installed in 2000, upgraded in 2003 and again in 2005, allows the company to constantly improve its business processes. Prologue uses EDI and FTP technologies for electronic commercial interchange with its retail customers equipped to use such technologies and provides monthly sales reports through the Internet to those of its publishers who so desire.
Head office and warehouse
Prologue maintains its own 60,000 sq.ft. warehouse and office complex in Boisbriand, Québec, on the northern outskirt of Montreal, a few kilometers away from Pierre-Elliott-Trudeau International Airport in Dorval. The building was first enlarged in 2001 so as to double the warehouse space, a second enlargement was completed in 2003 and a third extension in 2005. A second distribution center was built in 2007.
Delivery cycle
From its warehouse in Montreal, Prologue achieves one of the shortest delivery cycles in the Canadian book industry. The company installed new state-of-the-art warehousing equipment in each of the last four years in order to achieve its goal of maintaining the shortest delivery cycle in the Canadian book industry.
Exceptional level of services
For thirty years, Prologue has developed tried and tested techniques to promote, market and sell books while keeping abreast of new developments in technology and marketing opportunities. The company’s operating pattern ensures that it continues to offer the best, most comprehensive and reliable marketing and distribution services available in the Canadian book industry.
Meet us at Book Fairs and Educational Conventions
Prologue representatives attend all Quebec regional book fairs and educational conventions as well as major national and international book fairs including Frankfurt, Paris, etc.
Distribution network
With a distribution network that extends right across Québec and French Canada (particularly in New Brunswick, Ontario, Manitoba, British Columbia and Alberta), Prologue’s customer base comprises 4,500 accounts, 500 French language bookstores and more than 4,200 additional warehouse stores, mass market stores, drugstores and drugstore chains, and specialty stores.
Bookstores
Prologue is present in all independent and chain bookstores across Québec and French Canada.
Warehouse stores, superstores and mass market stores
All warehouse clubs, superstores and mass-market stores including Costco, Wal-Mart, Zellers, Maxi & Cie, Maxi, Provigo, Loblaws, Réno Dépôt, Le Groupe Rona, Home Depot, Canadian Tire, Toy's’R’Us, Métro, Omer deSerres.
All drugstores and drugstore chains including Jean-Coutu, Essaim, Pharmaprix, Uniprix, Obonsoins/Santé Services, Brunet, Familiprix, Famili Santé, Michel Cadrin.
Specialty stores
Numerous specialty retailers : toy shops, gift shops, stationeries, office and school supply buying groups, museums and art galleries, health foods stores, garden centers, pet shops, craft and art material shops, riding centers and other niche retail markets outside the traditional book trade.
Computer supplies and accessories stores
All independent and chain retailers of computer supplies and accessories located in Québec including Camelot Info, Future Shop, Hartco (Compucentre, CompuSmart, Micro Age, Compuco), etc.
Educational market
The Quebec legislation prevents Prologue from selling directly to the educational market and to public libraries. Nevertheless, Prologue is present at various educational conventions in Quebec and in French Canada while its sales representatives visit public libraries.