Ten years of research and development

"Inside" - Trade NZ Publication, 2006

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Ten years of research and development is coming to fruition for Photopages Global Ltd with its groundbreaking 24-hour digital photo restoration technology in demand from London to New York. CEO and co-owner Ian Handricks, the man who spent the past decade perfecting the technology, says Trade New Zealand played a big role in its commercialisation, introducing the company to strategic partners in Australia, the UK and the US. This included a venture capitalist who is investing in marketing the service throughout North America and Europe.

"Their impact has been huge in terms of practical assistance and strategic advice," Mr Handricks explains.

Mr Handricks says the company is about to multiply in size tremendously, with staff set to increase from four to more than 100 in the next year and export earnings to grow "many hundreds of times".

Using its digital technology, Photopages offers an overnight service to restore damaged torn, worn or faded photos to a high standard at an affordable price. The owner takes the photo into a retail outlet where the image is scanned and sent via the internet to Photopages' Auckland office, where it’s restored to its former glory and returned to the retail outlet within 24 hours.

Mr Handricks says Photopages first used Trade New Zealand to help it launch its product in the UK before successfully opening in Australia.

“They put in an enormous amount of effort and helped us engineer our relationship with the David Jones department stores and establish our eventual licence sale to a Melbourne company.

“In the US, they helped with our market entry strategy and, along with Investment New Zealand, introduced us to venture capitalists we otherwise would never have met - who have subsequently made a massive investment in the company. That will see Photopages marketed throughout the US, Canada and Europe and will mean a multiplication of our business beyond our wildest dreams."

Trade New Zealand correctly matched us with the people we need to distribute and market our product and service to internationally. I don’t know anybody else in New Zealand that could do that. - IAN HANDRICKS, CEO and co-owner; Photopages Global Ltd

EXPERTISE:

24-hour photo restoration service using world-leading digital photo restoration technology

OFFICES:

Auckland (head office), franchisee operations throughout New Zealand, licensed operation in Melbourne, US marketing partner in San Francisco.

EXPORT MARKETS:

Australia, US, Canada, Europe.