Chief executive Tony Rafferty said that in moving its listing from Ofex it would increase the public profile of the company.

"We would have lacked ambition if we remained on Ofex," said Rafferty. "If we have aspirations for share price elevation then we need a market where more stockholders can trade."

Finance director Alan Roberts added that the move, first mooted last month, was made with franchisees in mind (PrintWeek, 17 June).

"We find that we are getting more sophisticated franchisees and they want to see a company with more substance," he said.

Printing.com will announce at the end of the year more details of its plans for expansion. A second print hub in Ashford has been mooted for 2005 as the company looks to expand. Rafferty added that expansion into continental Europe and the US was also up for consideration.

"Rather than going into these territories hell for leather we want to see a model in place first," he said.

Roberts added that any expansion into the US would result in a separate entity set up either through a joint venture or master franchise agreement.

Story by Philip Chadwick