Despite significant disruption during its move to a new production hub, printing.coms turnover for the 28 weeks to 12 October rose 22% to 4.8m, while pre-tax profit hit 251,000, up 57%. It took a 55,000 exceptional charge for the move.
Printing.coms business is divided into four segments: full-franchise agreements, which need an investment of around 115,000; bolt-on franchises, where independent businesses sign up to the printing.com service; company-owned stores; and its online ordering service.
Rafferty said the full-franchise model was proving popular because printing. com was not going to tie you into running a site for x number of years. You also have the scope to open bolt-on franchises.
The firms Glasgow and Newcastle stores have converted to the full-franchised format, while it has completed franchise agreements for Lancaster and Watford.
Option/exclusivity agreements have been taken out for new stores in Harrow, Warrington, Glasgow East, Wolverhampton, Crawley and Guildford.
Rafferty said the firm was currently happy using one hub in Manchester, and that future investment there would focus on making existing equipment operate more efficiently. However, the firm could open another hub in the South East as a base to expand into northern France and the Benelux countries.
Rafferty thought printing.coms offering was proving popular because its Komoris could produce a higher standard of work than other franchise chains. How many Kall Kwiks produce prospectuses? he asked.
Story by Gordon Carson
