Trademark Export Intelligence Publication, June 2002
An overnight photo restoration service is being established for North Americans thanks to foreign investment in an Auckland exporter that will produce dozens of jobs here - where the digital processing will occur.
A group of American investors, led by United States investor Ed Bernstein of Creekside LLC, signed an agreement with Auckland-based Photopages Global Ltd (PGL) to launch PGL’s 24-hour digital photo restoration service in the US, Canada and later Europe.
Under the trademark Photopages, and using unique digital technology developed by Ian Handricks from PGL, the company offers an overnight service to restore damaged photos.
Photos will be scanned at source and sent via the internet for restoration in New Zealand. Photos can be restored within 20 minutes compared with the normal five hours, and will be printed on photographic paper with 100% UV protection.
The American investors were attracted as a result of work by Trade New Zealand and Investment New Zealand who bought the investors to New Zealand earlier this year under the Visiting Investor Programme.
Bernstein says PGL provides exactly what he was looking for in New Zealand - smart technology with customer applications.
"Photopages combines very strong technology with very innovative processes. The American market is ripe for this product but no-one in the US has the tools to do the job as quickly and efficiently as PGL."
PGL and its American investors have signed a five-year agreement, with a 10-year renewal provision, and possible listing on NASDAQ after two years.