Alphagraphics unveils future plans

Kevin Cushing, chief executive of Pindar-owned global print network Alphagraphics, has urged centre owners to evolve from print services to the broader realm of marketing services providers.

Mr Cushing was speaking at the group's worldwide user conference in Tucson, Arizona, which mainly featured integrated cross-media marketing techniques and the use of social media channels.

He said the next few years present the greatest opportunity of their careers, in which they need to shape and lead industry trends.

Mr Cushing said: "Globally, the traditional printing industry is in a state of rapid contraction and we have not been immune to that - our network sales are 20% below where we were three years ago.

"But Alphagraphics was also the only US brand in our industry to grow its number of locations in 2009."

The franchise has fewer than 270 centres worldwide, of which eight are in the UK.

Pindar chairman Andrew Pindar said it plans to increase the number of UK centres by "revisiting the structure and model".

The company, which posted overall network sales of $246 million (£162 million) last year, also plans to double its number of centres worldwide.

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