Branding Together: Reflections on M&A Activity With Rusty Pepper
Rusty Pepper, head of global markets and partnerships at Taylor Corp., discusses mergers and acquisitions in an episode recorded at PRINTING United Expo in Orlando.
Over the last few years, mergers and acquisitions have dominated headlines in the print and promo industry. In 2025 alone, major announcements like Counselor Top 40 supplier Gildan’s (asi/56842) plans to acquire HanesBrands, Counselor Top 40 distributor The Sourcing Group (asi/330100) acquiring Vanguard Direct and Counselor Top 40 distributor BDA (asi/137616) acquiring Harper + Scott (asi/220052) have led many in the space to evaluate the larger impacts of all the changes.
Rusty Pepper of Taylor Corp. chats with Theresa Hegel and Cassie Green at PRINTING United Expo.
While onsite at PRINTING United Expo 2025 in Orlando, Branding Together Co-hosts Theresa Hegel of ASI and Cassie Green of PRINTING United Alliance and Apparelist caught up with Rusty Pepper, head of global markets and partnerships at Taylor Corp., parent company of Counselor Top 40 distributor Taylor Promo Marketing (asi/333647) and Counselor Top 40 supplier ADG Promo Products (asi/97270). On the heels of Taylor’s recent announcement of its acquisition of Gooten, Pepper weighs in on the bigger picture behind all the M&A activity.
“[Mergers and acquisitions] create a lot of buzz and excitement – a lot of chatter that makes people start thinking and looking at things in a different way.” Rusty Pepper, Taylor Corp.
Key Takeaways
• Mergers and acquisitions in the print, promo and apparel industries continue to accelerate, with tech-driven integrations and global scalability fueling further consolidation.
• Rusty Pepper said Taylor’s acquisition of Gooten reflects a broader trend toward tech-enabled partnerships that boost automation, efficiency and customer reach.
• While M&A activity can lead to job losses and reduced competition, Pepper emphasized the upside of innovation, collaboration and new market creation.
• The print-on-demand model allows companies to thrive even in slower economies by offering personalized products with high perceived value at low cost.
• The convergence of print, promo and apparel is speeding up through acquisitions and partnerships, with technology central to connecting industries.
• Pepper predicted 2026 will bring more B2B growth and same-day fulfillment innovations, driven by customer demand for speed, customization and efficiency.