Rex 3 Adds a Canon varioPRINT iX to Increase Efficiency, Quality, and On-Time Delivery
Rex 3 is a privately held, family-owned business that is recognized as one of America’s top 100 commercial printers. The bustling business has multiple locations, including a plant and an offsite facility in Sunrise, Florida, plus a partner entity in the United Kingdom that mirrors many of their operations to meet the company’s global demand. Rex 3 employs more than 260 full-time staff and up to 150 temps working around the clock six days a week, with small crews on Sundays.
Founded by Julius Miller in 1959, Rex 3 currently is led by the second generation, with Steve Miller at the helm. Known for its passion for custom printing, the company has grown significantly over the years, expanding into many different areas of print. One key area of Rex 3’s expertise is production of custom-made trading cards for various sports leagues and collectibles—including Major League Baseball, Formula One racing, European soccer, National Hockey League, Star Wars, Wacky Packs for Garbage Pail Kids, Arnold Schwarzenegger, UFC fighting, and many others—that require intricate manufacturing and printing techniques. In addition, the company specializes in die-cutting and gluing for display boxes and packaging for various industries, from perfume and vitamins to cannabis, candy, and ice cream. Rex 3 also offers a wide variety of wide-format print products.
As part of its full range of capabilities, Rex 3 also produces a wide variety of commercial printing applications, including brochures, pocket folders, pamphlets, transactional mail, postcards, and more. The company’s dedicated mail shop handles millions of pieces of mail each month. At the heart of that operation is their beloved Canon varioPRINT iX-series sheetfed inkjet press. The decision to go with the varioPRINT IX was based on several factors, including the ability to handle significant volumes of work at high speed, the sheet size, and the stunning print quality.
The decision to go with the varioPRINT iX was based on the ability to handle significant volumes of work at high speed, the sheet size, and the stunning print quality.
According to Vice President of Operations Jay Kahn, “The Canon varioPRINT iX was easy to cost justify; the ROI proves out faster than some of the alternative choices we looked at. The sheer speed of the iX and stunning quality enable us to live up to our commitment to outstanding customer service.”
Rex 3 prides itself on its commitment to customer service. “We really take the time to understand our customers' needs and work with them to find the best solutions,” Jay explains. “Our attention to detail and quality control is also something that we take very seriously. We make sure that every project that goes out the door meets our high standards. Our ability to handle a wide range of projects and customize solutions for each individual customer is a strong competitive advantage.”
Director of IT Todd Jones readily agrees. “Rex 3 has a strong competitive edge in the printing industry,” Todd says, “and much of that can be attributed to our experienced and passionate team. It’s our staff, enabled with our state-of-the-art technology like the Canon varioPRINT iX, that makes Rex 3 a go-to for customers who need high-quality custom printing services delivered on time.”
State-of-the-art technology like the Canon varioPRINT iX helps make Rex 3 a go-to for high‑quality custom printing services.
In fact, Jay and Todd both credit the entire Rex 3 team for the success of the company, sharing that despite the unprecedented challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Rex 3 was able to not only survive but also thrive during this period. Everyone came together to navigate through the tough times and support one another, with all levels of management working around the clock. Rex 3 also increased top-line revenue substantially at a time when other companies were going out of business. Vendors were impressed, and customers were thrilled with the level of service they received—all a testament to the commitment and passion of the team, who worked tirelessly to ensure the success of the business.
“At the end of the day, to build the customer loyalty we have today, you have to have a great team, and you have to give the team the technology they need to do their job with excellence. We are proud of our team and are pleased with the Canon inkjet technology that enables them to quickly and efficiently produce the high-quality, stunning, custom-printed products our customers have come to expect of us,” says Jay.
“You have to give the team the technology they need to do their job with excellence.” — Jay Kahn, Rex 3 Vice President of Operations
While Canon Solutions America has led the evolution of print for more than a decade—with industry-leading web-fed, sheetfed, and total high-volume inkjet market share in the U.S. reported in 2022—Francis McMahon, executive vice president of its Production Print Solutions division, also acknowledges the importance of personal commitment to success. “As Jay said, it is the people, not the technology, that makes the difference at the end of the day. To see the Rex 3 team utilize the speed and quality of the Canon varioPRINT iX to delight their customers delights me.”
