RPI acquires DPI

According to executives from both companies, the acquisition is a win-win for both companies

“Many of our customers have asked us to develop a strong presence on the East Coast, and this acquisition of DPI addresses that need,” said Rick Bellamy, CEO of RPI. “It will help us significantly reduce the time to deliver personalized products to consumers and businesses, and minimize unexpected delays in order delivery created by elements out of our control, such as weather.

The deal is RPI’s second significant acquisition in the past two years. In 2011, the company acquired Paro, a digitla printer based in the Netherlands that provides print products for the corporate and consumer markets in Europe.

By acquiring DPI, RPI is addressing a growing market need for a company that can deliver powerful, near-time, web-to-print solutions for global brands addressing both the consumer and business markets, Bellamy said: “With the proliferation of today’s technology, we have entered a new age of personalization. Consumers are using social and mobile platforms to control conversations about the brand story. Savvy companies are looking for authentic and meaningful ways to participate in these conversations, and to ultimately engage consumers to co-create experiences where tangible physical products are essential to the experience.”

RPI specializes in make-on-demand photo merchandise for mass and specialty retailers, an estimated $2 billion market worldwide. However, stationery ($11B), yearbooks ($4B), home décor ($26B) and pets ($50B) represent much larger market opportunities for personalized print products, Bellamy added.