Digital Asset DirectMinuteman Press International Inc
Contact Details Minuteman Press International Chris Biscuiti +1 631-249-1370 cbiscuiti@mpihq.com Company Website https://minutemanpressfranchise.com
December 27, 2021 10:00 AM Eastern Standard Time
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News ReleaseCenterboard
Centerboard, the neutral, shipper-centric transportation management provider, announced today the availability of Centerboard Microservices, API solutions enabling seamless technology integration for shippers and technology providers. Presenting a ground-breaking approach to supply chain access, the cloud-based, a-la-carte offerings give users a fully customizable experience. Reflecting its mission to give shippers complete control over their supply chain, Centerboard’s API offering allows software providers to embed supply chain access into their clients’ existing systems, regardless of the transportation management system (TMS) or enterprise resource planning (ERP) platform. “We’ve spent years working closely with shippers and leading technology providers – not only listening to their needs but building an IT roadmap that directly addresses those needs. The biggest pain point we’ve seen is the lack of neutrality and flexibility regarding technology solutions,” said Lindsey Shellman, Chief Commercial Officer at Centerboard. “The APIs through Centerboard Microservices is a solution that no one else in the industry is offering. We are thrilled to address the complexity of supply chain and let users access shipping functionality from within their existing applications. For the first time, users will have affordable access to technology that provides true visibility and control of their supply chain operations, while eliminating the need to juggle multiple tech stacks.” BluePallet, the first end-to-end commerce platform for the chemical industry, is currently leveraging Centerboard Microservices to increase efficiencies for their users. “Our partnership with Centerboard strengthens the TMS functionality within the existing framework of our marketplace, helping our users spend less time managing multiple supply chain services outside of our platform,” said Pat Salomé, Chief Product Officer at BluePallet. “We are looking forward to our continued partnership with Centerboard to support our network of manufacturers and distributors.” Since rebranding in September, Centerboard has experienced substantial growth with an expanded roster of customers in chemical distribution, and food and beverage industries, including Dien, a leader in North American specialty chemical and ingredient distribution; JSI Store Fixtures, a branded display supplier to major supermarkets, convenience and specialty store chains; and S.L. Fusco, Inc. a Los Angeles based industrial supply distributor. Centerboard has also launched a range of new features, including advanced shipment notifications and enhanced carrier tracking messages. In addition to platform developments, Centerboard continues to invest in its team growth and plans to open a new state-of-the-art office facility this month. To learn more about Centerboard and schedule a demo please visit www.centerboard.com. About Centerboard Centerboard is a neutral, shipper-centric transportation and supply chain management provider supplying shippers with access to a wide range of affordable features needed to take control of operations. Centerboard unlocks business opportunities for shippers, carriers, and supply chain stakeholders, through leveraging real-time data. Contact Details Kite Hill PR for Centerboard Kite Hill PR centerboard@kitehillpr.com Company Website https://www.centerboard.com/
December 16, 2021 09:30 AM Eastern Standard Time
News ReleaseVOLY
Australia's first instant online grocery supermarket, VOLY, has raised AU$18M in one of the nation’s largest ever seed rounds led by Sequoia Capital India, with increased backing from Global Founders Capital (GFC) and Australian-based Artesian Capital. This funding round will enable VOLY to continue to scale, expand the team, rapidly increase operations across key urban centres and start the national rollout. Following its launch in July 2021, VOLY has been preparing to take on the rapid food delivery market by delivering groceries to customers at incredible speed. It aims to make ordering groceries as easy and engaging as browsing Instagram and get them to you faster than you could do a trip to the supermarket yourself. Employing its own riders, delivery centre and store staff, VOLY does away with the need for customers to spend time in physical retail environments by giving people the power to order and receive their groceries in minutes. With a delivery promise of 15 minutes or less; VOLY is set to disrupt the +$122bn local grocery industry. Mark Heath, Co-CEO and Co-founder of VOLY, said: “VOLY is here to completely change the way people shop for groceries by giving Australians back their most precious resource, time. Our model, from a fully employed delivery and dispatch team to the way we use electric bikes to deliver, is designed around the way people live. We firmly believe that our customers have a better experience when our riders and other staff are part of the company, working with us.” VOLY retails most key household products available at any major supermarket - from fresh produce to baby formula and cleaning products - everything you could possibly need, available online seven days a week from 8am-10pm. The winning recipe is instant and free delivery, together with the best quality fresh produce; all sold at retail prices. “We’re doing away with the need to do a weekly grocery shop by providing convenience alongside reliability in a market that offers some of the slowest delivery times in the world. By owning our own supply chain, VOLY delivers at blazing fast speed without compromising on price, quality or availability. We source directly from suppliers, store in our own micro-fulfilment centres and deliver using fully employed and mostly full-time staff. VOLY is the supermarket of the future that is built around our customers, not the other way around,” said Thibault Henry, Co-CEO and Co-Founder. The seed funding announcement sets a new record for a food delivery company in Australia with support from Sequoia Capital India, a renowned venture capital firm. The interest in VOLY follows a new wave of investment in Aussie startups seen as world-class tech companies with potential to scale globally. "Australia's grocery market, which sees $90B in annual spends, is a large and profitable space that continues to be dominated by offline retail. The Sequoia Capital India team was impressed by the strong consumer love for VOLY, their compelling value proposition, and an impressive team of repeat founders that has blitzscaled businesses in Australia before. With on-demand models traditionally scaling very successfully in the country, the decision to lead their seed round and help them scale their business across Australia was an easy one to make," said Abheek Anand, Managing Director, Sequoia India. VOLY was co-founded by Mark Heath and Thibault Henry, who are also co-CEOs of the company and have experience working with on-demand technology brands across the food supply and logistics industries. Mark Heath helped launch Uber in Australia after a career at Goldman Sachs and Thibault Henry built, scaled and sold Balto which was a B2B last-mile business with clients such as HelloFresh, Marley Spoon and YouFoodz. VOLY’s management team includes Chief Technology Officer, Anthony Rey, Head of Procurement Lyana Labrode and Head of Marketing, Josh Peacock. VOLY has been an early hit with customers flocking to the app, spiking a rise of new users and incredibly strong week-on-week growth in sales. While currently available in Sydney across 42 suburbs - VOLY has plans to rapidly expand its offering from January 2022 to reach millions more Australians around the country in the coming months and year ahead. The VOLY application is available on both iOS and Android and at https://www.getvoly.com/ Ends Additional media images can be found here. About VOLY VOLY is an online supermarket and delivery service committed to disrupting the Australian grocery market by offering instant grocery delivery to millions of Australians through its mobile app. Setting new standards in the delivery industry, VOLY employs its own people and riders across micro fulfillment centres around Australia, offering household items to its customers in less than 15 minutes of placing an order. The move to employ riders full-time together with a strategy of vertical integration sets VOLY apart from the ‘gig economy’ and enables it to offer speed and quality without compromising on price. For more visit: https://www.getvoly.com/ About Sequoia Capital India Sequoia helps daring founders build legendary companies, from idea to IPO and beyond. Sequoia India operates in Southeast Asia and India where we actively partner with founders from a wide range of companies, across categories, including BYJUs, Carousell, Druva, Gojek, OYO Rooms, Tokopedia, Truecaller, Zilingo, Zomato and more. We spur founders to push the boundaries of what’s possible. In partnering with Sequoia, startups benefit from over 49 years of tribal knowledge and lessons learned working with companies like Airbnb, Alibaba, Apple, Dropbox, Google, LinkedIn and Stripe early on. From the beginning, universities, endowments and other non-profits have been the backbone of our investor base, which means founders’ accomplishments make a meaningful difference. For more information on Sequoia’s work in India and SE Asia, visit sequoiacap.com/india Contact Details VOLY Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 b.mahmood@stockwoodstrategy.com Company Website https://www.getvoly.com/
December 16, 2021 08:00 AM Eastern Standard Time
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News ReleaseNIUTRON
BEIJING, CHINA - Media OutReach - 15 December 2021 - Yinan Li, the Ex-CTO of Baidu and Former Founder of NIU Technologies, enters into the electric automotive industry. As a technology industry heavyweight, Li’s NIUTRON is expected to be one of the most valuable electric automotive startups after NIO, Xpeng and Li Auto. After a long influential career in high-tech industry and venture capital, Li founded NIU Technologies in 2014, created one of the most innovative and stylish electric two wheelers. NIU was later listed on Nasdaq in late 2018. After he departed from NIU technologies, Li started the automotive venture in 2018, namely NIUTRON. The Company has since grown to a team of 1,000 R&D personnel, and has received investments from world-leading investors such as IDG and COATUE, in its US$500 million series A fundraising. NIUTRON has achieved several milestones since its founding, including its unique Gemini Platform and a strong product pipeline with many future models. NIUTRON NV, the Company’s first model, is a mid-large sized premium SUV, with “Urban Exploring” as its design concept, encompassing both BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle) and EREV (Extended-Range Electric Vehicle) options to meet the needs of different driving scenarios. NIUTRON NV will be launched and open for pre-order in China in the first half of 2022, and the delivery will start in September of the same year. NIUTRON has already been building a modern manufacturing base of 770,000 square meters, with an annual production capacity of 180,000 units. The manufacturing base will be ready for operation in March 2022. Contact Details Ever Bloom (HK) Communications Consultants Group Limited Ms. Shine Li / Ms. Orianna Ou hkproject.list@everbloom.com.cn
December 15, 2021 09:00 AM Eastern Standard Time
News ReleaseAutoGuardian By SmartCone Technologies, Inc.
AutoGuardian By SmartCone (AutoGuardian), a leader in Intelligent Mobility solutions, is piloting cutting edge technology to create safer roads in Beaumont, Alberta. As part of the Safe x Connected Cities Accelerator powered by Highline Beta in partnership with Aviva Canada’s Take Back Our Roads initiative, AutoGuardian has installed sensors both on existing infrastructure and on the road side. The sensors detect pedestrians and cyclists and automatically trigger intelligent torches to light up, thereby alerting motorists of their presence. First, the technology will collect valuable data to understand movement in two locations: one on 50 th Avenue just east of the Beaumont Sport and Recreation Centre and the second on 60 th Avenue adjacent to 64 th Street. This anonymized data, which includes the number and average speed of pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles will be to inform the city of usage on these streets. The second application of this innovative technology is to add intelligent torches to the nearby unsignalized crossings and the same sensors will automatically trigger these torches to light up when pedestrians cross. Beaumont is a community of choice for livability and economic innovation. In 2019, the city hosted an autonomous shuttle pilot project integrated with regular traffic – the first of its kind in Western Canada – and the community is currently finalizing details with private investors to install an ultra-high speed broadband network with the fastest internet infrastructure available commercially in the world. “This pilot is a fantastic example how Beaumont embraces bold, innovative approaches that improve safety and everyday living for people in our community,” said Mayor Bill Daneluik. “We’re proud to be one of the few communities selected for the project and it speaks to our growing reputation as a sandbox city where innovators, entrepreneurs and investors can bring ideas to life.” AutoGuardian CEO, Tenille Houston noted “It is imperative we find new ways to make our roads smarter and safer for all. Working with forward thinking cities like Beaumont, that embrace new technology is an invaluable opportunity for us to test out the art of the possible.” Hazel Tan, head of corporate responsibility at Aviva Canada said: “At Aviva, we’re committed to making roads safer for Canadians through our social impact platform, Take Back Our Roads, leveraging our knowledge, data, partnerships and funding to invest directly in road safety initiatives. Working with AutoGuardian on this pilot will help create real change to improve road safety in Canada and we look forward to seeing the results of the pilot.” "We believe in building new ventures that matter and what matters more than the safety of a community? A truly powerful proposition has emerged with the overlap of Aviva's corporate smarts, AutoGuardian's innovative application of emerging tech and Beaumont's amazing forward thinking about their community," said Hussam Ayyad, Chief Accelerator Officer at Highline Beta. About The City of Beaumont With a population of over 21,000, Beaumont is one of fastest growing communities in Canada and the safest community in Alberta. Beaumont borders the City of Edmonton to the north and is only nine kilometres east of the Edmonton International Airport. About AutoGuardian By SmartCone AutoGuardian provides intelligent mobility solutions to get people to their destination in a safer, smarter, and more eco-friendly way. From autonomous transit operations to operating connected and intelligent infrastructure for bike lanes and crosswalks in both public and private locations, we aim to increase mobility for all. Learn more at www.autoguardian.ca Contact Details For more information, please contact Tenille Houston, CEO +1 343-308-0555 tenille@autoguardian.ca
December 14, 2021 11:00 AM Eastern Standard Time
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News ReleaseCooper-Standard Holdings Inc.
Cooper Standard (NYSE:CPS) today announced changes to its leadership team: William (Bill) Pumphrey, executive vice president and president, Global Automotive and Industrial and Specialty Group (ISG), is retiring at the end of the year; and John Li, vice president and managing director China, is leaving the Company to pursue other endeavors. As a result, the following changes will take place over the next month: Patrick Clark has been appointed senior vice president, chief manufacturing and commercial officer, and will assume responsibility for the commercial function and automotive profit and loss (P&L) in addition to his existing responsibility for manufacturing; Enrique Nogueroles has been named vice president and managing director - Asia Pacific and will assume P&L responsibility for the entire Asia Pacific business; and Ramsey Changoo has been appointed vice president and managing director - ISG, assuming P&L responsibility for the business. He will also join the Global Leadership Team. “Patrick, Ramsey and Enrique bring a wealth of experience to these vital roles in our leadership team,” said Jeffrey S. Edwards, chairman and CEO, Cooper Standard. “Filling these positions with outstanding internal candidates is a testament to Cooper Standard’s culture and leadership bench strength. I am confident that they, along with the other members of our leadership team, will continue with laser focus on delivering world-class products and services to our customers and driving increasing value for all our stakeholders. On behalf of the entire Cooper Standard organization, I want thank Bill for his strong leadership and many contributions over the years.” With more than 27 years of automotive industry experience, Clark has held diverse leadership positions at Cooper Standard, including engineering, operations, program management, finance, strategy and sales. In addition to his current responsibilities leading Cooper Standard’s manufacturing operations functions toward world-class levels, Clark will also have global responsibility for customer satisfaction and business development in support of the Company’s profitable growth targets. Nogueroles brings more than 12 years of industry expertise to his new role, where he will be responsible for the sales, program management and manufacturing activities in Asia Pacific, while partnering with engineering, manufacturing and other functions to execute China’s profitable growth strategy. He joined Cooper Standard in 2018 as managing director, Cooper Standard India and most recently served as vice president operations Asia Pacific & China joint ventures. Bringing more than 30 years of experience to his new role as part of the Global Leadership Team, Changoo will oversee the Company’s ISG as vice president and managing director - ISG. In this position, Changoo will work to help progress the Company’s diversification strategy to accelerate growth and maximize the value of the Company's products and technologies in industrial and specialty markets. He joined Cooper Standard as finance director in 2005 and has held leadership positions in finance and operations. Pumphrey joined the Company in 2011 as North American president. During his career at Cooper Standard, he was instrumental in ensuring Cooper Standard supported customers in meeting the demands of the rapidly changing mobility landscape. He was also responsible for corporate strategy and the Company’s ROIC (return on invested capital) improvement initiative, where he helped refine the strategy for future growth. About Cooper Standard Cooper Standard, headquartered in Northville, Mich., with locations in 21 countries, is a leading global supplier of sealing and fluid handling systems and components. Utilizing our materials science and manufacturing expertise, we create innovative and sustainable engineered solutions for diverse transportation and industrial markets. Cooper Standard's approximately 25,000 employees are at the heart of our success, continuously improving our business and surrounding communities. Learn more at www.cooperstandard.com or follow us on Twitter @CooperStandard. ### CPS_G Contact Details Chris Andrews +1 248-596-6217 candrews@cooperstandard.com
December 09, 2021 04:30 PM Eastern Standard Time
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News ReleaseCooper-Standard Holdings Inc.
For the third consecutive year, Cooper Standard (NYSE: CPS) was named to Newsweek ’s “America’s Most Responsible Companies” list. The list, based on three key areas of Corporate Social Responsibility – environmental; social; and corporate governance (ESG) – is compiled by Newsweek and Statista based on publicly available key performance indicators and an independent survey. Cooper Standard has been included on the list of the top 500 most responsible companies in the United States since its inception three years ago. “We are honored to again be included in Newsweek 's America's Most Responsible Companies list,” said Jeffrey Edwards, chairman and CEO, Cooper Standard. “Our longtime commitment to ESG initiatives has positioned Cooper Standard well to tackle the biggest challenges of our time, as well as continue to drive important innovations in materials, products and processes to meet and exceed stakeholder expectations to better position us for long-term sustainability.” Cooper Standard provides insight into its ESG journey through annual corporate responsibility reports that cover the Company’s progress toward world-class performance and actions to elevate value for all stakeholders. In its latest report, “Stronger: Teams, Partnerships, Business,” the Company incorporated new goals for renewable energy and waste reduction, along with a focus on climate change risks and impacts. This report also shares progress on its long-term goals supporting key ESG material topics. The Newsweek recognition serves as further validation of Cooper Standard’s commitment to ethical business practices. Earlier this year, the Company was again recognized by Ethisphere, a global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices, as one of the 2021 World's Most Ethical Companies. About Cooper Standard Cooper Standard, headquartered in Northville, Mich., with locations in 21 countries, is a leading global supplier of sealing and fluid handling systems and components. Utilizing our materials science and manufacturing expertise, we create innovative and sustainable engineered solutions for diverse transportation and industrial markets. Cooper Standard's approximately 25,000 employees are at the heart of our success, continuously improving our business and surrounding communities. Learn more at www.cooperstandard.com or follow us on Twitter @CooperStandard. ### CPS_G Contact Details Chris Andrews +1 248-596-6217 candrews@cooperstandard.com
December 09, 2021 08:30 AM Eastern Standard Time
News ReleaseXeneta
Xeneta, the leading ocean and air freight rate benchmarking, market analytics platform and Compass Financial Technologies, the major financial index provider for alternative asset classes, announced today the launch of the Xeneta Shipping Index by Compass, the most accurate and transparent daily container freight index available. Branded as the Xeneta Shipping Index by Compass ( XSI ® -C) the solution offers a EU Benchmark Regulation (EU BMR) compliant index for rolling short-term Freight All Kinds (FAK) rates, which are rates applicable to the shipping of all types of goods. “The XSI ® by Compass, provides the most reliable and in-depth EU BMR compliant short-term ocean container freight rates available,” said Xeneta CEO Patrik Berglund. “The unreliability of existing indices and their lack of transparency are what motivated us to create a new data source for the containerized ocean freight market together with the Compass team. The contracted rate data reported to Xeneta by customers is the source data for the XSI ®- C indices. Xeneta is the world’s largest ocean freight rate benchmarking platform and provides the most exhaustive source of information related to container transactions. The use of proprietary data guards XSI ® -C from issues associated with third-party data sources, including problems with accuracy, reliability and transparency. “With Xeneta’s robust, real-time data, EU BMR compliance and index calculation capabilities, XSI®-C is positioned better than any other index in the market to provide the most trusted pulse of the market,” said Edouard Mouton, founding partner of Compass Financial Technologies. “Container shipping pricing is extremely volatile and Xeneta data and solutions are already trusted by hundreds of global companies, 3 of the top 5 ocean carriers and 7 of the top 10 global freight forwarders. The EU BMR regulation and our partnership positions the XSI ® -C as the backbone to support index-linked contracting and financial derivatives market.” Xeneta’s data is what sets XSI ® -C apart from other indices in the industry. Many legacy indices do not reflect the large-scale trades made by some of the biggest companies in the world. They are mainly based on quoted prices, which are disproportionately indicative. Xeneta works with some of the largest shippers in the world, so XSI’s data is not only timely but also relevant. XSI ® -C rates are available for 8 main trade corridors, calculated daily and published at 4:15 p.m. London Time. The rates are valid for less than 32 days, for a 40’ container. The XSI ® -C indices are co-owned by Xeneta and Compass Financial Technologies. The benchmark administrator and index calculation agent is Compass Financial Technologies (France). The XSI ® -C can be accessed online on Xeneta website (www.Xeneta.com) and on Compass Financial Technologies website (www.compassft.com) along with additional information about the index methodology. XSI ® -C indices are also available on Bloomberg and Reuters. About Xeneta Xeneta is the leading ocean freight rate benchmarking and market analytics platform transforming the shipping and logistics industry. Xeneta’s powerful reporting and analytics platform provides liner-shipping stakeholders the data they need to understand current and historical market behavior—reporting live on market average and low/high movements for both short and long-term contracts. Xeneta’s data is comprised of over 280 million contracted container and air freight rates and covers over 160,000 global trade routes. Customers include General Mills, Volvo, John Deere, Amer Sports, Rockwell Automation and CEVA Logistics, ABB, Electrolux, Continental, Unilever, Nestle, L’Oréal, Thyssenkrupp and more. Each relies on Xeneta to gain better market visibility into freight rate pricing factors, which enable them to minimize supply chain disruptions. Xeneta is a privately held company with headquarters in Oslo, Norway, and regional offices in New Jersey and Hamburg. To learn more, please visit www.xeneta.com. About Compass Financial Technologies Compass Financial Technologies is a France and Switzerland-based company specializing in the design, calculation, publication and management of market benchmarks, financial indices and customized quantitative investment strategies. Compass manages hundreds of financial indices with several billion USD of investment products linked to those indices. Compass Financial Technologies has been registered as a benchmarks administrator by the Autorité des Marchés Financiers (AMF) in compliance with the EU Benchmarks Regulations (EU BMR). Contact Details Katherine Barrios +47 951 46 414 press@xeneta.com Compass Financial Technologies Media Contact media@compass-ft.com
December 09, 2021 03:00 AM Eastern Standard Time
News ReleaseMinuteman Press International Inc
Minuteman Press International, the world’s leading design, marketing, and printing franchise, is proud to announce additional successful conversions of independent print shops to Minuteman Press franchises in 2021. Through the Minuteman Press International Conversion Program, independent printers are able to sell their printing business at no cost to them. Minuteman Press Franchise Conversion Program – 2021 Highlights Through this program, Minuteman Press International helps sellers of qualified printing businesses find qualified buyers within a reasonable time frame. All of the businesses highlighted below were listed for sale in mid-2020 and sold through 2021. Minuteman Press, Red Bank, New Jersey (formerly All American Print & Copy Center) Jason Carris is the new owner of Minuteman Press in Red Bank, NJ, which is part of the Middletown Township. He purchased All American Print & Copy Center, which was in business for 40 years, and took over the business in September 2021. Jason says, “ The biggest advantage of buying this business was having an established clientele. We did our research and made sure the owners were respected by their clients. There was also 40 years of history and track record as well.” He continues, “Minuteman Press and our Regional Vice President Jim Galasso guided us through the purchase of the business step by step. Jim made the process easier to manage and I couldn’t have done this on my own without the help from the team at Minuteman Press International.” Prior to franchising, Jason worked in medical publishing and digital marketing. He also ran a number of small consulting businesses in his career. He says, “A combination of things – including the pandemic and economic forces – made me decide to go fully into business ownership. My wife Renee has an entrepreneurial spirt as well.” Why Minuteman Press? Jason answers, “We did a lot of research and Minuteman Press jumped out to us on a number of levels. They were on a lot of top franchise lists, they appealed to people who hadn’t owned a business, and the business seemed easy to learn. In addition to being a highly respected franchise, Minuteman Press had a reasonable cost of entry and I appreciate their cap on royalties.” He adds, “The support has been wonderful. Because there is a 40-year history of the independent print shop we purchased, we have been transitioning the business. It’s great to have the training and support especially since I had not run a business of this scope before.” What is it like for Jason to be a business owner? He says, “Once you make that leap, it’s a very exciting experience to own your own business. We have a vibrant community here and I see the long-term growth potential. I am looking forward to making Minuteman Press a real pillar and trusted business partner in Red Bank / Middletown Township.” Jason further explains, “I think we have a tremendous opportunity to expand our wide format printing business with banners, posters, and signage remaining in high demand for our clients. I am also looking forward to bolstering our in-house mailing and direct mail services to help other local businesses reach their target audiences.” “I think the two biggest keys to owning a business are to really make sure you feel 100% comfortable with the business model, and to believe in your products and services. Also, it is important to be proactive but also have patience after buying the business. Think about growth potential, and understand there is a learning curve. That’s normal for everyone.” -Jason Carris, owner, Minuteman Press franchise, Red Bank, NJ (formerly All American Print & Copy Center) For more information on Minuteman Press in Red Bank, visit https://minuteman.com/us/locations/nj/red-bank. Minuteman Press, Longmont, Colorado (formerly Ron’s Printing Center) Avi Kumar has been part of the Minuteman Press franchise family since May 2016 as the owner of Minuteman Press in Greeley, CO. In February 2021, Avi had the opportunity to buy Ron’s Printing Center located in Longmont, CO, which was in business for 40 years. Avi converted Ron’s Printing Center into his second Minuteman Press franchise location in February 2021. Avi says, “Our Regional Vice President Jack Panzer told us about this established business for sale in Longmont, which is 40 minutes from us. The main advantage was to extend profitability and expand our business in Northern Colorado.” He continues, “Another advantage was that we did not have to spend a lot of extra effort in marketing this as a new business because Ron’s Printing Center had been established for a long time. The employees were all very hands-on and diligent and we were able to retain them all. Within the second month, we added mailings, promotional products, and apparel to their product lines. In fact, we just wrapped up a 30K mailer for a local non-profit organization and secured a large apparel order as well.” Prior to franchising in 2016, Avi worked in retail as a convenience store manager of several locations. “I used to manage some stores in Illinois for a big outfit out of Wisconsin. I finally got tired of answering to my boss and decided I wanted to own my own business. I moved on to better pastures and we decided as a family that Colorado was our calling.” Avi is thankful for being able to work with Minuteman Press and Jack Panzer over the past five years in Greeley and on the conversion in Longmont in 2021. He says, “Working with Jack is amazing as he is very thorough and helpful. Since I started my business in Greeley in 2016, he has been a huge resource for us and very supportive. As we start to build in Longmont, we are also expanding in Greeley to a new 5,000 sq. ft. facility – remodeling is under way as we speak. We started small and grew the business, and now we are building on that success at the right, consistent pace.” For more information on Minuteman Press in Longmont and Greeley, visit https://minuteman.com/us/locations/co/longmont or https://minuteman.com/us/locations/co/greeley. Minuteman Press, Missoula, Montana (formerly Advertiser Montana Printing) Rebecca and Kirk Treece are the new owners of Minuteman Press in Missoula, Montana. They purchased Advertiser Montana Printing, which has a 40-year history in Missoula, in January 2021. Rebecca says, “It is a real honor to become part of Missoula’s thriving business community. The Palmers (former owners) had a 40-year long relationship with this community and their loyal customers have welcomed us and trusted us with their service, which has given us a great start here in Missoula.” Prior to Minuteman Press, Rebecca and Kirk had varying careers. Rebecca shares, “Before owning my own business, I was utilizing my teaching degree as a vision therapist at an optometry office in Missoula, working with children and adults to improve their visual skills. My husband Kirk was previously a financial and operational manager for a large company. He and I also own a franchise of Fish Window Cleaning and Sunbelt Business Brokerage. We are familiar with business and the franchise concept, but were really drawn to the Minuteman Press structure, training, support and record of success.” While Rebecca and Kirk have experience owning a business, they had never been involved in the printing industry before. Rebecca says, “Advertiser Montana Printing was an independent print shop that had been in business for 40 years and they had a very loyal base of long-standing customers. An established customer base was the opportunity we were looking for when buying a new business. Our goal is 100% retention and we have worked diligently to meet and develop relationships with each customer. We hit the ground running and it gave us an opportunity to get experience across the board. Our local Minuteman Press field representatives were able to train us on every aspect of the business, which gave us the confidence to meet the demands of our customers.” Rebecca continues, “The support from Minuteman Press has been exceptional. The training was very comprehensive, and we felt like we were well-prepared for starting up and getting straight to work. We also know exactly who to call when we have a question or issue to manage. The network of Minuteman Press is amazing in the way that everyone is there for you at any time and in any capacity that you need. The expertise of the training and the continual mentoring are the powerful tools we need to succeed.” One of the ways Rebecca is looking to stand out as a new business owner is by expanding on the products and services offered by Minuteman Press and educating clients on what is in high demand right now. She explains, “Our high-demand products are business cards, menus, point of sale products like invoices and forms, and medical facility materials. As businesses open up, the demand for envelopes, letterhead, and other consumables has grown. Being part of Minuteman Press family has given us a huge opportunity to share with customers our expanded line of products like mailing, signage, apparel, promotional items. It has really given us the ability to help people promote their business.” As for Minuteman Press in Missoula, Rebecca and Kirk know exactly where they want to go. She says, “Our goal is to become the premier printing and advertising design company in Missoula and the Greater Northwestern Montana area. We want to develop the reputation for supplying the highest quality products and having superior customer service. We strive to make Minuteman Press in Missoula the place to go for all advice and services. The main lesson Minuteman Press impressed upon me is that if you do not like the current state of your business, change it! Get up, get out there, market, make connections, and grow your business. We have been given the tools and the support to create something great and that is extremely exciting for us.” For more information on Minuteman Press in Missoula, visit https://minuteman.com/us/locations/mt/missoula. Minuteman Press, Hove, England (formerly TJ’s Branding Solutions) Romi and Russell Pinsent are the new owners of Minuteman Press in Hove, England. They purchased TJ’s Branding Solutions, which operated for 30 years, in June 2021. Romi says, We are so excited to carry the legacy of TJ’s Branding Solutions and expand our products and services through Minuteman Press to benefit our local business clients and community.” TJ’s Branding Solutions laid a solid foundation for Romi and Russell as they look forward to continuing to build the business that was started by original owner Tony Jenner. Romi says, “The store that we have bought has predominantly been a sign writing store that already supports existing businesses and has a good customer base. The work done within the store already supports local businesses by assisting them to promote their own business by way of designing logos, shop fronts and vehicle livery.” On selling the printing and sign business through Minuteman Press, Tony Jenner says, “Minuteman Press Regional Vice President Mark Jones approached me at a good time and asked me if I was interested in selling my business. I have been running TJ’s Branding Solutions for over 30 years and was looking at a change of direction. I was looking to retire and enjoy what I have achieved and spend more time with family. This was a great opportunity to sell at a good price with no broker fees. What was there not to like? It was a smooth exchange and transfer that was done – I would recommend it.” Prior to franchising with Minuteman Press, Romi and Russell were no strangers to running their own business. Romi shares, “Before franchising, our background was and still is running care homes. It is an enjoyable business to run, supporting the more vulnerable people within society but it is riddled with legislation and we wanted to explore a new venture that was more creative and had an opportunity for growth. We wanted a change for us and a new business venture seemed the way forward.” Why Minuteman Press? Romi answers, “We have over 40 years of business experience between us however we were cautious about moving into a new industry as our experience is only in our other business. We visited a franchise show with the intention of looking at a hospitality franchise but quickly realized that this wasn’t something we wanted to explore due to having to work evenings and weekends.” Romi adds, “The intention at the start was to purchase a new store and grow it from the ground up however once we had decided on the franchise, [Regional Vice President] Mark Jones undertook some market research and found an existing independent print shop in TJ’s Branding Solutions where the owner wanted to retire. As a result, we began the process of purchasing the store.” “Throughout the whole process, Mark Jones supported us in liaising with the seller, solicitors, and accountants to make the process as easy as possible. There was never a question that couldn’t be answered! We secured the store on the 3 rd June 2021. Russell and I are both excited to work with the Minuteman Press franchise support team and to grow the business in the local area. Russ has lived in the city since he was 5-years-old and I have lived here all my life. We are proud to call Brighton and Hove our home, we love where we live and want to offer the best service to all local businesses here!” -Romi Pinsent, co-owner, Minuteman Press, Hove, England (formerly TJ’s Branding Solutions) Romi concludes, “Overall, As a local business ourselves, Minuteman Press in Hove is excited to work with other local businesses. We look forward to seeing where this incredible journey takes us as we build and grow together.” For more information on Minuteman Press in Hove, England, visit https://hove.minutemanpress.co.uk. International Minute Press, Nampa, Idaho (formerly Custom Printing) Sheryl and James Wisler are the new owners if International Minute Press in Nampa, Idaho. They purchased Custom Printing from Mike Cutler, who operated the independent printing business for 25 years. Seller’s Perspective from Mike Cutler, Retired Owner of Custom Printing Mike Cutler built up Custom Printing from a print shop out of his garage in 1996 to a successful printing business that averaged over $1 million in gross sales over the past 5 years. He tried to sell his printing business for six to eight months before realizing it was going to be harder than he thought. That is when he turned to Minuteman Press. Mike says, “I tried to sell the business that I worked so hard to build for six to eight months on my own. I was also preparing to let it go at a very undervalued price as I couldn’t find the right people to buy the business and I found many of them were time-wasters and tire-kickers. On top of that, when I consulted with a business broker, they were asking me for 10% off the top of the sale, and they also wanted a percentage of my lease agreement.” After experiencing these challenges on his own, Mike turned to Minuteman Press International to help sell his printing business. “One of the franchisees I knew locally in Idaho referred me to Chris Jutt, Minuteman Press International Regional Vice President. After our first phone call, I felt confident that Chris had the ability, drive and connections to make this dream a reality for me. Our meetings were always super easygoing and comfortable. Chris took all the pressure off of me and said to focus on my successful business and he would do the rest. That is just what he did.” “We set a price for my independent printing business that was significantly higher than I anticipated, and Chris Jutt recommended some terms. Within one week, I had several very interested parties. Chris found the perfect people to purchase my business – James and Sheryl Wisler – that will continue what I started some 25 years ago. Minuteman Press International knew that the most important things to me were my long-term employees, my clients, and the reputation I had worked so hard to build. Chris found buyers that valued the same things. He and the entire team at Minuteman Press International delivered on all of my expectations and exceeded in most of them. Looking back, if I knew this was going to be this easy, I would have contacted him years ago.” -Mike Cutler, retired owner, Custom Printing (now International Minute Press, Nampa, Idaho) After the sale of his business, Mike quickly realized how beneficial it was to have the team at Minuteman Press International assist with all aspects of the transition to the new owners. He shares, “At first, I was apprehensive about how the transition would go. I was immediately relieved when I saw how Minuteman Press International took the reins to teach and train James and Sheryl. We are only two and a half weeks into the transition phase, and already I feel like I am not needed as much as I thought I would be. My employees are in great hands, my clients are being taken care of, and James and Sheryl are doing a fantastic job.” He adds, “The entire team both here locally and at their corporate headquarters has been phenomenal. No matter who I’ve talked to or worked with during this entire process, everyone has been professional as well as instrumental in making this happen. It’s a win-win situation all around.” “The smooth transition has reassured me that it was the right move to sell my business with Minuteman Press International. They have the right plan, the right experience, and everyone has been incredible to the very last detail. In my acquisition experience, nothing has ever been as easy as this. I had everything to gain and nothing to lose, and there were absolutely no hiccups along the way. I would easily rate my experience as 10/10.” -Mike Cutler Advice to Other Sellers When asked what advice he would give to other print and sign shop owners looking to sell, Mike answers, “Don’t even waste your time trying to do this yourself. When you try to sell on your own, there are so many bottleneck issues and you will likely undervalue your business. I couldn’t find the right buyers on my own and I had to spend too much time to meet with people repeatedly while still running my own business.” Mike concludes, “Minuteman Press International alleviated the bottlenecks and came forward with qualified buyers who were ready to write the check for the right price. I am 100% satisfied beyond my expectations. This was a total team effort by everyone, and they all came through for me.” For more information on International Minute Press in Nampa, Idaho, visit https://minuteman.com/us/locations/id/nampa. For more information on how to sell your printing business or sign business through Minuteman Press International’s Conversion Program, visit https://bit.ly/minutemanpressconversions Contact Details Minuteman Press International Chris Biscuiti +1 631-249-1370 cbiscuiti@mpihq.com Company Website https://minutemanpressfranchise.com
December 06, 2021 09:10 AM Eastern Standard Time
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