Salex Strengthens Ottawa Presence Through WSA Acquisition

Canadian manufacturers’ representative Salex is expanding its footprint in the Ottawa market through the acquisition of WSA, a move that adds scale, strengthens customer coverage, and brings together two organizations with similar cultures.

Paul Hudson, Managing Partner of Salex, told your humble editor that the acquisition was driven by both customer demand and a shared vision between the two companies.

“We expanded into the Ottawa market because several of our manufacturers needed stronger representation there,” Paul said. “We were making progress, but not as quickly as we wanted.”

Paul first met Mario Grenier, owner of WSA, at an industry event in Phoenix last October. The two later reconnected in Montreal, where discussions about the future of WSA began to take shape.

“Mario was looking for an exit strategy, and we realized there were tremendous synergies between our companies,” Paul explained. “WSA has a great team of young professionals who fit our culture very well. They have about 17 or 18 employees, and we’re excited to welcome them.”

The companies also share an important manufacturer relationship.

“Both organizations represent Genlyte Solutions, a Signify business, who is very happy with the transaction,” Paul said. “The acquisition gives us greater scale, and greater scale usually translates into more business.”

30 JUL 2026, 10:19 EST:  This article has been updated.