The RMX Network: United They Grow

The RMX Network is an alliance of over 100 independent North American wide-format print service providers. It’s not a franchise, but rather an affiliation of like-minded companies that band together to support each other and help solve problems. Through conferences, workshops, roundtables and online communities, RMX Partner company owners, production managers and others can exchange ideas, get ongoing consultation and develop processes to make their businesses run better and more profitably. It’s a unique business model. We spoke with President Rick Bosworth to learn more. 

Printing News: How did you start with the company? What is your background?

Rick Bosworth: I started in the reprographics business over 30 years ago. I was a minority owner in a print company that we grew significantly from 1979 until 2003. I have been involved with The RMX Network since 1984, and in 2003 I sold my interest in the print company and became president of The RMX Network. It’s been a great experience for the last 16 years.  

PN: Tell us about The RMX Network.

RB: The RMX Network is represented in over 100 markets in North America. We serve the commercial print markets in the wide-format digital segment. We have a unique structure in this industry. Companies come together in order to be able to work as one in areas of technology, services, new markets and new opportunities. We try as best we can to leverage each other’s information in a very closed environment so that information stays confidential. People can drill down into areas that they would normally not, because of the competitive environment that we all live in. Within RMX, they work together as a group or a network in order to be able to improve their top line, their bottom line and everything in between.

PN: So these companies are independently branded. That is, it’s not like a like a franchise where they would all have basically the same name or brand.

RB: Yes. It would be what I consider to be kind of an affiliation. These are all independently owned companies; we have no interest whatsoever financially in them. They are part of the network and they contribute to the network as they see fit and as they have the opportunity. We find it to be incredibly valuable for the company to leverage each other’s knowledge. It’s a unique approach, but it’s worked very well since 1984, and we’ve seen significant growth all over North America.

PN: What do you consider the greatest advantage of The RMX Network for its partners? 

RB: Time and again, owners and executives tell us that the industry is changing so fast they don’t know what they would do without the support and advice of other executives in The RMX Network. They really do take part in the online communities to solve problems, get answers and learn all aspects of the business. 

Let me give you an example. Recently, several partner companies, after lots of independent discussion, implemented the same business management system and right now they’re starting to compare notes on our communities so others can learn from their experience. Eventually, partner companies will be moving their businesses forward with this comparative data.

Another asset is the conferences and workshops where they visit each other’s facilities to learn more about technology, new ways to do business and get candid feedback on the latest in wide-format printing and finishing equipment.

Another real advantage of our network is that we can handle jobs in different places. If there’s a company based in Chicago that needs work done in eight different cities they can work through our network companies to fulfill that on a local basis. So things like printing and installation can be done in Houston for a job that was initiated in Chicago.

PN: What kinds of print products/applications have you and your partner companies seen growing? 

RB: Our Partner companies are diversifying now more than ever before. Sophisticated wall coverings, managed services, indoor and outdoor displays, building wraps—you name it, it’s all within their scope of business. There really are no limits to what these digital PSPs can do. 

PN: Which products/applications are becoming less in demand or more commoditized?

RB: The processes and technologies of the construction industry have changed. Traditional reprographics, straight plans and specs are now more price-sensitive than ever before. Most of our partner companies started in the AEC (architecture, engineering and construction) area. With the support of other companies, they’ve learned to address new markets in the wide-format digital arena and have gone into a number of different verticals that have proven to be extremely valuable.

PN: It sounds like with that background they’d be well-positioned to produce experiential or environmental graphics, which is a fast-growing wide-format application, sort of where display graphics meets décor. 

RB: Partner companies work with major corporations throughout North America that have hundreds of locations. They do digital décor as a branding tool for universities, hospitals and commercial environments. Everything from billboards to wall graphics, to windows, to floors, to directional way-signage—just about any wide-format area. About seven or eight years ago, RMX Network developed, along with HP, a program that allowed our partner companies to address the commercial market and an architectural market  so that they can provide American Institute of Architects continuing education credits. Our partners put forth a program that allows us to promote digital decor as a moneymaker. So interior designers and architects can now look at RMX companies and they can go to them to take their design and they can implement that from file management, through print, through installation.

PN: A number of sign and wide-format shops are also starting to add smaller-format products like direct mail or transactional work so they can offer everything to a customer. Are you finding any of your partners moving into that kind of work?

RB: Absolutely, and some have been in transactional services for years. We have any number of partner companies that are looking at what we call narrow-format print. They do fulfillment and distribution of documents and serve customers for managed print facilities where they supply equipment and personnel. Most of those are narrow-format applications and some are also wide-format. So it’s a growing area where end users want one resource that can professionally handle their applications, whether it’s narrow- or wide-format technologies. 

PN: As we speak, we are on the eve of PRINTING United, a show that is emblematic of the way that so many different kinds of print are starting to become viable markets within the printing industry. As a result, you’ve used the term “disenfranchised” in the past; do you think printing companies are feeling disenfranchised within the industry?

RB: I think it would be easy to feel marginalized these days. The convergence of different types of printing into one industry makes for a huge playing field that can be overwhelming. So anything that can bring companies together to learn and grow from each other in a non-competitive environment is a win/win for everyone. This is how our partner companies make sure they don’t feel disenfranchised—they are part of something bigger that benefits everyone. And that’s the leading advantage to being a partner company within The RMX Network. 

PN: What’s the best advice you would give printers and others in this industry?

RB:. Learn everything you can about what’s next in this business and be willing to change. It moves so fast—from customers wanting new applications to technology making processes better and manufacturers creating improved, robust equipment. The wide-format color business is fast and getting faster. 

PN: And that’s where the advantages of The RMX Network come in....

RB: The strength of The RMX Network is represented by its partner companies. RMX is really nothing on its own; it’s a compilation of the leading print service providers in the wide-format industry, and has some of the best, most knowledgeable, most experienced people in all of North America. And it continues to grow just based on the fact that these leading companies are willing to share with each other. Because of that, these companies are more profitable, and they are growing at a faster rate. We’re excited about where we’re going to go.