Unlike many entrepreneurial companies today, Red Oxx was born out from a family military tradition. When Jim Markel Senior retired from 20 years in the Marine Corps, he wanted to do something to keep busy. As a fitness fan and former parachute rigger, he put his talents into building lifting straps. After his son Jim Junior served his time, also in the Marines, the elder Markel invited him to Billings to join in his endeavor. When fitness market shifted offshore, Jim decided, through personal experience with a broken zipper while out in the wilds of Montana, to build a bag that wouldn't break, Red Oxx as a luggage company was born. roots military traditions, basement of home, grown
Welcome, here you can scan through news article links and summaries about Red Oxx, located all in one place.
ARTICLES FEATURED ON THE BILLINGS GAZETTE
Red Oxx Drops Fitness Gear, Finds Market in Bag for Travel
It's perfectly natural a home-town newspaper would feature a local business perhaps a time or two, it's clear that the local newspaper the Billings Gazette absolutely loves Red Oxx! Taking us way back to 2004 the Gazette updated readers on an important change at our then tiny outfit. At the time Red Oxx has 3 employees and 7000 customers worldwide. Wrote the Gazette, "Markel said the fitness side was a good little business for many years, but, more and more, Red Oxx was getting hammered with off-shore competition."
Industrial Vibe - Neighborhood Block Party Showcases Art House, Food Trucks and Music
The Gazette regularly publishes articles about our OxxFest annual customer appreciation party. Here the Gazette visited the second of such parties, this one from 2016 which expanded on two new themes - art and food trucks. The Gazette wrote, "I want to start getting some life down here in the district," Markel said. "We want to see our neighborhood become a little more happening." This year the primary attraction was the decoration an old house on the Red Oxx property. Local artist Emily Davidson spent the summer decorating the house creating sculptures out of scrap metal and painting designs on the walls. Said Emily, "It’s like an alien lives in this house and collects human artifacts, "Davidson said, holding up an old cup."
GUEST OPINION - Guest Opinion: Kairos Building Offers Billings Best Value for New Space
The Gazette published an OP Ed article featuring Red Oxx CEO Jim Markel. In the article Jim made strong points about utilizing existing buildings within his company's neighborhood, the East Billings Urban Revitalization District, rather than building a new building at twice the cost to taxpayers to house police evidence. Argued Markel, "The council members are stewards of public funds and owe a fiduciary responsibility to the people of Billings. The same could be said for any small business operator who has the responsibility to make payroll and expenses. That duty is breached if they make such a grossly unnecessary expenditure just to have a new facility."
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