Declining Print Industry Forces Shop Operators to Explore New Opportunities

CARROLLTON, TX, November 11, 2012 (Press-News.org) As today's technological landscape continues to advance, the once very-needed and high-demand printing services industry is slowly fading. Rather than closing up shop, many traditional print shop operators are adapting their business offerings to meet the changing needs of customers.

Recognizing this growing trend, FASTSIGNS International Inc., the worldwide franchisor of FASTSIGNS visual communications, signage and graphics centers with 530 locations in eight countries, will be exhibiting at the Print World 2012 trade show (Booth No. 431) from Nov. 17 - 19 in Toronto, Canada. The company's goal is to educate attendees about franchise opportunities through its co-branding program.

"We created the FASTSIGNS co-branding program to provide print shop operators the ability to maintain their independence and original business identity while giving them the opportunity to grow new revenue streams by diversifying their service offerings," said FASTSIGNS Senior Vice President of Franchise Support & Development Mark Jameson. "We're offering these small-business owners a cost-effective solution to take their business to the next level, and it's easier than most think."

The new co-branding program allows independent print shop owners to add a FASTSIGNS center within their existing business and gain ongoing training and support from the franchise for as little as a $6,000 initial investment. As a co-branded partner, FASTSIGNS offers effective local and national marketing, improved buying power and relationships with vendors, access to national accounts and up-to-date technology and digital services, among other benefits from being part of a franchise network with business owners nationwide.

FASTSIGNS franchise owner Bob Kromhaly, who co-branded his printing business with FASTSIGNS in 2011 to become FASTSIGNS & Kromhaly's Printing, had operated a traditional printing business for more than 30 years before making the transition into signage and visual graphics/wide-format printing.

"We knew for a while that we wanted to move our business into signage and visual graphics, but we didn't know where to start with the new software, technology and machinery needed," Kromhaly said. "The amount of research required to make those decisions was overwhelming, especially while trying to stay on top of our everyday work. When we found out that FASTSIGNS offered a co-branding program that would provide us with ongoing support and expertise on all facets of the business, we realized that joining the franchise was a better investment than entering the segment alone."

With more than 530 FASTSIGNS sign and graphics centers around the world, FASTSIGNS provides marketing and visual communications solutions to businesses, organizations and events of all types and sizes. FASTSIGNS offers a variety of sign and graphics solutions - including banners, building signs, digital signage, yard signs, vehicle graphics, decals, trade show exhibits and displays, point-of-purchase signs, and posters - as well as mobile websites, promotional products, interior decor, branding, printing and other marketing services.

For more information, contact Mark Jameson (mark.jameson@fastsigns.com or 214-346-5679) or visit http://www.fastsigns.com.

About FASTSIGNS
FASTSIGNS International, Inc. is the worldwide franchisor for the more than 530 FASTSIGNS sign, graphic and visual communications centers in eight countries including the US (and Puerto Rico), Canada, England, Brazil, Mexico, the Caribbean, Saudi Arabia and Australia (where centers operate as SIGNWAVE ). FASTSIGNS provides comprehensive visual communications solutions to help customers of all sizes - across all industries - meet their business objectives and increase their business visibility through the use of signs, graphics, printing, promotional products and related marketing services. FASTSIGNS was ranked number one for the second year in a row in the sign and graphic category in the 2012 Entrepreneur Magazine annual Franchise 500 . For franchise information, contact Mark Jameson (mark.jameson@fastsigns.com or 214-346-5679) or visit http://www.fastsigns.com.