The landscape of the European event services industry is often characterized by its volatility, demanding physical labor, and the logistical complexity of managing large-scale productions. Amidst this challenging environment, the Basel-based RMP Eventservice GmbH has emerged as a significant player, marking its tenth anniversary this November. With a workforce of approximately 250 active crew members and a portfolio that includes some of the continent’s most prestigious events, such as the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 and the UEFA Women’s Euro, the company stands as a testament to the power of unconventional leadership and social responsibility. On November 9, 2026, the firm will host a formal celebration to reflect on a decade of operations that began in a telephone booth and survived a global pandemic through sheer adaptability.
The Genesis of RMP Eventservice: From Yellow Pages to Industry Leadership
The origins of RMP Eventservice GmbH are rooted in the personal initiative of its founder, Petra Sarke. Her entry into the event industry was not through a traditional academic route or corporate recruitment, but through a search in a telephone booth’s Yellow Pages. This led to an internship at the AVO Session in Basel (now known as the Baloise Session), a world-renowned boutique music festival. This early exposure to the high-stakes world of live music production provided the foundation for what would eventually become a premier service provider in the Swiss event sector.
In 2016, Sarke co-founded RMP with two partners. The company’s name was derived from the initials of the three founders’ first names, symbolizing a collaborative start. While the partnership eventually evolved, leading Sarke to take the helm as the sole managing director, the core mission of the company remained steadfast. Based in Basel, a city strategically located at the border of Switzerland, France, and Germany, RMP was positioned to serve a tri-national market from its inception.
The company’s growth over the last ten years has been steady. Starting as a small local provider of stagehands, it has expanded its reach across Switzerland and into broader Europe. Today, RMP specializes in the assembly and dismantling of infrastructure for concerts, festivals, roadshows, and large-scale corporate events. Their service offering includes stagehand duties, show crew operations, and comprehensive crew leadership, ensuring that the technical requirements of modern entertainment are met with precision.
A Socially Conscious Employment Philosophy
One of the most distinctive aspects of RMP Eventservice is its approach to human resources. In an industry that often prioritizes seasoned professionals with extensive resumes, Sarke has intentionally maintained an open-door policy for individuals with unconventional backgrounds. The company’s hiring philosophy focuses on reliability and the willingness to integrate into a team rather than prior experience alone.
This approach has had a profound social impact. For many individuals who have struggled with long-term unemployment or personal instability, an assignment with RMP represents more than just a paycheck; it is a structured entry point back into a regulated lifestyle. The company acknowledges that for some crew members, their first paid shift is a vital step toward social reintegration.
Furthermore, RMP addresses the practical needs of its workforce by providing emergency housing. Recognizing that the nature of event work—often involving late-night shifts and irregular hours—can clash with the housing stability of some employees, the company offers access to shared apartment rooms (WGs) or emergency sleeping facilities. This holistic approach to employee welfare is rare in the event services sector and has fostered a high degree of loyalty among the 250-person crew.
Navigating the Pandemic: The 2020 Pivot
The resilience of RMP Eventservice was put to its ultimate test during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, as the global entertainment industry ground to a halt and festivals across Europe were canceled, the company faced an existential threat. Unlike many larger corporations, RMP and its crew found themselves in a position where state-mandated support funds were largely inaccessible or insufficient to cover the immediate needs of the workforce.
To ensure the survival of the firm and the livelihoods of its employees, Sarke initiated a radical pivot. The company purchased three used delivery vans and redirected its labor force toward the retail sector. Crew members who were accustomed to rigging lighting trusses and building festival stages found themselves performing renovation work and logistical tasks in supermarkets.
This transition required a rapid acquisition of new skills and an adjustment to entirely different operational workflows. However, the strategy was successful. By securing contracts outside the event industry, RMP managed to keep its core team intact and financially stable throughout the lockdowns. When the event industry finally reopened, RMP was one of the few service providers that did not face a labor shortage, as their crew was already mobilized and ready to return to the stage.
A Portfolio of Excellence: Eurovision and Beyond
The return to live events saw RMP Eventservice reaching new heights of professional achievement. The company’s resume now features some of the most complex logistical undertakings in the modern event world.
The Eurovision Song Contest 2025
Following Switzerland’s victory at the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) in 2024, the 2025 edition was hosted in Basel. For RMP, this was a landmark project. Serving as a key local partner, the company provided the massive labor force required for the multi-week setup at the St. Jakobshalle. The ESC is widely regarded as one of the most technically demanding television productions in the world, involving kilometers of cabling, hundreds of tons of suspended equipment, and a strict "zero-failure" protocol. RMP’s ability to manage its crew under these high-pressure conditions solidified its reputation on the international stage.
UEFA Women’s Euro 2025
In addition to music and entertainment, RMP has made significant inroads into the sporting world. Their involvement in the UEFA Women’s Euro, also hosted in Switzerland in 2025, demonstrated the company’s versatility. Managing the infrastructure for international football tournaments involves different challenges than music festivals, including strict security protocols and the coordination of branding and broadcast facilities across multiple venues.
The Greenfield Festival
A staple of the Swiss summer, the Greenfield Festival in Interlaken is another recurring reference for RMP. As Switzerland’s largest rock and metal festival, it requires a crew capable of working in outdoor environments and handling the rugged infrastructure associated with massive outdoor stages. RMP’s long-standing relationship with Greenfield highlights their reliability in the demanding festival circuit.
Economic Impact and Industry Context
The success of RMP Eventservice mirrors broader trends in the Swiss event market. According to industry data, the event sector contributes significantly to the Swiss GDP, with Basel being a primary hub due to its exhibition centers and cultural significance. However, the sector is also facing a period of transformation. Increasing costs for materials, rising safety standards, and a general shortage of skilled manual labor have put pressure on service providers.
RMP’s model of internal training and social integration offers a potential solution to these industry-wide challenges. By creating a pipeline for new talent and providing the necessary support systems to keep them in the workforce, the company has insulated itself against the "war for talent" that has hampered other firms. Analysts suggest that the "RMP model" of social enterprise within the gig economy could serve as a blueprint for other service-oriented businesses in the post-pandemic era.
The 10th Anniversary Celebration
The upcoming celebration on November 9, 2026, is not merely a corporate milestone but a recognition of the 250 individuals who make up the RMP crew. The event is expected to bring together industry partners, local political figures from Basel, and the workers themselves. It serves as a moment to reflect on a decade that saw the company evolve from a three-person startup into a regional powerhouse.
Industry experts anticipate that the next decade for RMP will involve further expansion into digital logistics management and potentially a larger footprint in the European touring market. As sustainability becomes a central requirement for large events, RMP is also expected to integrate "green" logistics into its service portfolio, aligning with Switzerland’s broader environmental goals for the 2030s.
Conclusion: A Legacy of Reliability
As RMP Eventservice GmbH enters its second decade, it remains a unique entity in the Swiss business landscape. Led by Petra Sarke, the company has proven that a business can be both commercially successful and socially impactful. From the humble beginnings of a Yellow Pages search to the grand stage of the Eurovision Song Contest, RMP has demonstrated that reliability, adaptability, and a commitment to people are the most valuable assets in the event industry.
The company’s story is a reminder that behind the glamour of lights, music, and international broadcasts, there is a dedicated crew of hundreds working behind the scenes to build the foundations of these experiences. As the lights go up on their tenth-anniversary celebration, RMP Eventservice stands as a pillar of the Basel economy and a vital contributor to the European cultural scene.
