Systemax

What Systemax does

Systemax Corporation is a privately held, family-owned integrated brand solutions provider founded in 1982 in Springfield, Illinois. Originally a printed forms business serving financial institutions, the company evolved through the 1990s ATM boom and a post-2008 strategic pivot into a comprehensive marketing, brand asset management, and creative services platform. Today, Systemax serves banks, credit unions, healthcare systems, construction firms, and consumer brands across the Midwest United States and beyond.

The company's core offering consists of three integrated service lines: Apparel, Print & Promotion (transactional design, production, and fulfillment); Brand Asset Management via its proprietary multi-tier Hub platform (Essential, Enterprise, Elite, Corporate Store, and Pop-Up Shop) featuring centralized storefronts, inventory tracking, approval workflows, custom kit building, and event check-in/out functionality; and a Full-Service Marketing Agency providing brand identity, campaign strategy, digital and traditional advertising, social media management, and creative content production. The firm also offers specialized products such as Big Booth Energy (event logistics), Custom Branded Calendars, Budget Planner, Fraud Prevention Package, and Hot Picks trending merchandise. Underlying infrastructure includes a single Springfield warehouse enabling same-day shipping and free client warehousing.

Systemax generates revenue through three mechanisms: subscription fees for Hub platform tiers (annual billing, quote-based pricing), transaction and per-order fulfillment fees for print/promo/apparel work, and project-based or multi-year retainer fees for marketing agency services. The company operates a sales-led, consultative go-to-market motion supplemented by self-service Hub ordering, e-commerce order forms, Google Partner status for digital advertising, and content marketing across blog, email, and social channels. The company has been recognized as one of the best places to work in Illinois for five consecutive years, operates with a team of over 40 people, and is led by Brett Jackson as CEO following founder Steve Jackson.

Name

Systemax

Legal name

Systemax Corporation

Website

https://systemaxsolutions.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Springfield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Apparel, Print & Promotion: Full-service design and on-demand production for promotional items, apparel, executive gifts, stationery, brochures, mailers, and signage. Orders are fulfilled and shipped with inventory management.
2. Brand Asset Management: Centralized brand asset management platform with inventory tracking, custom storefronts, warehousing, and fulfillment services. Revenue comes from platform subscriptions and per-order fulfillment fees.
3. Full-Service Marketing Agency: Comprehensive marketing solutions including brand identity, logo design, marketing campaigns, content development, strategy, and execution across digital and traditional channels.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Systemax provides integrated brand and marketing solutions to businesses, primarily financial institutions, combining on-demand production of apparel, print, and promotional products with a proprietary Brand Asset Management (BAM) and Hub ordering platform, and a full-service creative marketing agency for strategy, content, and campaign execution. Services are bundled with in-house warehousing, same-day fulfillment, and free storage of client inventory.

Product overview

Systemax is a marketing and operations solutions provider offering an integrated brand solutions platform. The core offering consists of three main service areas: Apparel, Print, & Promotion; Brand Asset Management (BAM); and Full-Service Marketing Agency. Central to the platform is the Hub personalized ordering system, available in four tiers: Essential Hub for basic client ordering, Enterprise Hub for advanced customization with Single Sign-On, Elite Hub for dynamic inventory management and event logistics, and Corporate Store and Pop-Up Shop for branded e-commerce. Additional products include Custom Branded Calendars, Big Booth Energy for event solutions, Hot Picks trending merchandise, Budget Planner financial tools, Promo Calendar planning resources, Fraud Prevention materials, and In-Stock Products (ATM/supply items). The platform is built around centralized brand asset management with integrated ordering, fulfillment, and distribution capabilities across marketing, HR, and operations departments.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• HUB: Personalized ordering platform with Essential Hub, Enterprise Hub, Elite Hub, Corporate Store, and Pop-Up Shop options for streamlined ordering and brand management.
• BAM (Brand Asset Management)
• Big Booth Energy

Products and services

• Apparel, Print, & Promotion Full-service design and on-demand production of promotional items, apparel, executive gifts, stationery, brochures, mailers, and signage tailored to client brand specifications.
• Brand Asset Management (BAM) Centralized platform that organizes, stores, and distributes branded materials to maintain messaging consistency across all locations and teams, with inventory tracking, custom storefronts, warehousing, and fulfillment services.
• Full-Service Marketing Agency Comprehensive marketing solutions including brand identity creation, logo design, marketing campaign development, content creation, strategy, and execution across digital and traditional channels.
• Essential Hub Base-tier personalized ordering and brand asset management platform with multiple banner customization options, providing a seamless ordering experience from catalog to checkout.
• Enterprise Hub Advanced-tier Hub platform with unlimited scalability, advanced site customization, robust digital asset management, and Single Sign-On for complete control over branded storefronts.
• Elite Hub Dynamic inventory management platform with custom kit building and check-in/check-out functionality, designed for event-driven businesses to optimize the full item lifecycle.
• Corporate Store Custom-branded corporate store enabling employees to shop, redeem rewards, or purchase premium branded merchandise while maintaining strict brand control and inventory visibility.
• Pop-Up Shop Limited-time online store with a la carte setup and defined open/close dates, providing brand control and product selection for seasonal campaigns, product launches, or special events.
• Custom Branded Calendars Custom-branded calendars in desk, wall, magnetic, and specialty formats, with pre-designed and fully custom options for year-round brand visibility.
• Big Booth Energy Comprehensive event solution providing high-impact displays, promotional materials, storage, and logistics management for conferences, trade shows, and community events.
• Online Order Form Quick online order form for branded materials, print collateral, signage, apparel, and promotional items with fulfillment and shipping services.

Quantifiable outcome

• 68% deposit growth for LimeBank, compared to 1.2% national banking average
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• CooleafminorOthersEmployee engagement platform used internally by Systemax to celebrate wins, recognize achievements, and maintain company culture. Cooleaf enables peer recognition, rewards points redeemable for gift cards and days off, and supports the company's hybrid workplace environment.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• 4imprint: 4imprint is a leading direct marketer of promotional products and apparel, with a BlueSquare digital ordering platform analogous to Systemax's Hub. Compares on product (promotional merchandise) and the technology-enabled ordering model for repeat B2B clients.
• HALO Branding Solutions: HALO is a promotional products and brand merchandise distributor offering online branded storefronts similar to Systemax's Hub platform. Both companies provide integrated brand asset management plus promotional product fulfillment to multi-location enterprises.
• BDA (Branddigital Agency / Bensussen Deutsch & Associates): BDA is a promotional products, merchandise, and brand activation agency serving enterprise clients. It offers proprietary e-commerce platforms for branded merchandise and is a directly comparable peer in the brand asset management + promotional space.
• WebbMason Marketing: WebbMason provides marketing services including print, promotional products, and brand asset management for mid-market and enterprise clients. Comparable scope (apparel/print/promo + tech-enabled ordering) and customer profile (multi-location) mirror Systemax's offering.
• Axis Display Solutions: Axis Display Solutions is a promotional products and branded merchandise distributor serving enterprise and financial services clients. It competes in the same niche as Systemax's Apparel, Print & Promotion business, often supplying ATM and bank giveaway merchandise.

Emerging players

• Brandfolder (by Smartsheet): Brandfolder is a digital asset management platform for organizing and distributing brand materials, directly overlapping with Systemax's BAM platform. It is included to reflect the technology-category overlap in DAM/brand asset management.
• Orases: Orases is a US custom software development firm building platforms for clients, including e-commerce-style ordering and asset management solutions. Comparable as a custom-development counterpart that could be contracted to build system features similar to Systemax's Hub.
• Allegra (marketing agency network): Allegra is a franchise network of marketing and print services providers offering brand identity, promotional products, and print fulfillment to SMBs and mid-market clients. Comparable as a multi-location alternative to Systemax's integrated brand services model.

Broad incumbents

• The Cypress Group: The Cypress Group is a larger full-service marketing and branding agency providing similar comprehensive services (brand identity, campaigns, content) to Systemax's Marketing Agency business. Included as a broader incumbent offering the full-service agency model at larger scale.

Regional players

• Inertia Marketing Group: Inertia Marketing Group is a Midwest US-based integrated marketing agency. It is a regional peer given Systemax's Midwest US geographic concentration; both serve mid-market B2B clients with branding and promotional services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@systemax1
• Facebookfacebook.com/SYSTEMAXCORP
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/systemax-corporation
• Instagraminstagram.com/systemax1

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Systemax