PrintChannel, the web-based print service, is beating the e-slump by gaining more funding to buy technology assets, while rival Collabria has gone out of business.


PrintChannel, based in California and London, bought databases, servers and source codes from MediaFlex, a US firm that folded in February. It was helped by a new round of funding, believed to run to several million pounds, from venture capital firm Warburg, Pincus Equity.


"MediaFlex developed print-buying technology for a year and by merging technologies we can strengthen our position as a print-buying platform for print suppliers worldwide," said chief executive Oliver Pflug(main picture).


UK marketing manager Steven Whiting said: "We won funding while other e-comms firms are struggling because we are solvent, making a profit and did not have to prove a business concept."


Collabria wound up today (22 June) due to lack of funding.
Robert and Alan Hu, who founded the company in 1997, sent letters "regretting to inform you that Collabria will suspend operations and turn off its servers on Friday 22 June".


Whiting said: "We have been closely compared with Collabria. But we let printers make their own changes online, whereas they phoned or e-mailed changes to Collabria support staff."


PrintChannel has made European managing director Kevin Belcher (pictured inset) redundant after bringing its European wing under the control of its US operation.


"It was amicable," Whiting said.


Story by Jez Abbott