Jen Fuller and Gary Crisp
By Ed Avis
Crisp Imaging is continuing its growth across the West. The latest acquisition is DRSi, a 32-year-old reprographics firm with two locations in Bellevue and Seattle, Washington. The deal, which closed on December 1, represents the 23rd and 24th locations of Crisp Imaging, all of which are in the West.
“DRSi had been on our radar for years,” says Gary Crisp, founder and CEO of Crisp Imaging, which had one location in Seattle already. “This was a very strategic acquisition for us. DRSi is the gold standard of reprographics in the Northwest.”
DRSi was previously owned by Jen Fuller, a member of the IRgA Board. Fuller acquired the company in March 2019. She added her second location this past summer by acquiring G&H Printing, a small-format print shop in Seattle whose owner was retiring. G&H primarily serves non-profits and the arts community, both new areas for DRSi, and Fuller was able to grow that business by adding more services.
Crisp says that making an offer on DRSi fit perfectly with the company’s growth plans.
“Once we learned they were going to sell, we were very interested,” he says. “We discovered that they are very consistent with our values and our culture. It’s really a good fit for both sides.”
The name will remain DRSi for the time being, though it may become “DRSi, a Crisp Company” and eventually be rebranded altogether, Crisp says.
“We integrate our branding very carefully,” Crisp says. “We don’t want to harm the great reputation they’ve built up.”
Crisp says they will expand the company’s service offerings, but that they also can learn from some of the technology successes Fuller implemented, such as virtual customer storefronts. Crisp Imaging is known for its extensive scanning services for public entities, something that may expand at DRSi.
Fuller says she will stay with the company to help with the transition, and Crisp says they are keeping the entire 14-person staff. After the transition she plans to take some time off before deciding on her own next moves.
“It’s been exciting growing this business over the past four and a half years, but I feel that having the strength of Crisp Imaging behind DRSi will really help it into the future,” Fuller says. “The people at Crisp have been great to work with, and I’m feeling confident about the future of the business in their hands.”