Photo-Me International
Encyclopedia
Photo-Me International plc based in Bookham
, Surrey
operates photobooths. It became a plc in 1963 and has built operations in several countries including Japan
, Philippines
, Germany
and France
in addition to the UK. Although most well known for its photobooths, Photo-Me operates, sells and services a wide range of instant service equipment.
With 44,100 vending locations in 15 countries, Photo-Me is the world's leading operator of photobooths, with 21,500 sited. The Group operates a diverse range of vending equipment, including digital printing kiosks, children's rides and amusement machines.
Photo-Me sells a complete range of photo-processing equipment covering all market segments, including photobook makers, digital printing kiosks, minilabs and wholesale labs. The Group has over 1,000 technicians worldwide, servicing equipment for itself and third parties.
The Company's shares have been fully listed on the London Stock Exchange
since 1962. In 2007 Vernon Sankey
and Serge Crasnianski
were both forced to resign over plans to sell off the vending division by a shareholder revolt.
In February 2009 there was a profit warning and in March 2009 chief executive Thierry Barel resigned.
Serge Crasnianski
was reappointed to the Board as a Non-Executive Director in May 2009 . He was subsequently appointed Deputy Chairman and Joint Chief Executive and in May 2010 assumed the role of Chief Executive.
Following his reappointment, a major restructuring was carried out at KIS and the Group after losses of £6.3 million in 2008 and recorded a pre-tax profit of £1.6 million in the year ending April 30, 2009. In the year to April 30, 2010, the Group’s loss-making wholesale photo-processing labs business was sold and pre-tax profits were reported at £14.0 million. Of note was the £31.6 million improvement in the overall cash position such that the net cash on the Balance Sheet was £8.1 million compared to net debt of £23.5 million the previous year.
Bookham
Bookham refers to places:in Dorset, England*Bookham, Dorsetin Surrey, England:*Great Bookham*Little Bookham**location of Bookham railway station*Bookham Commonsin Australia*Bookham, New South WalesBookham also refers to a company:...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
operates photobooths. It became a plc in 1963 and has built operations in several countries including Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in addition to the UK. Although most well known for its photobooths, Photo-Me operates, sells and services a wide range of instant service equipment.
With 44,100 vending locations in 15 countries, Photo-Me is the world's leading operator of photobooths, with 21,500 sited. The Group operates a diverse range of vending equipment, including digital printing kiosks, children's rides and amusement machines.
Photo-Me sells a complete range of photo-processing equipment covering all market segments, including photobook makers, digital printing kiosks, minilabs and wholesale labs. The Group has over 1,000 technicians worldwide, servicing equipment for itself and third parties.
The Company's shares have been fully listed on the London Stock Exchange
London Stock Exchange
The London Stock Exchange is a stock exchange located in the City of London within the United Kingdom. , the Exchange had a market capitalisation of US$3.7495 trillion, making it the fourth-largest stock exchange in the world by this measurement...
since 1962. In 2007 Vernon Sankey
Vernon Sankey
Vernon Sankey is currently Chairman of Firmenich SA, Switzerland.Vernon Sankey is also currently a Non-Executive Director of Zurich Financial Services AG and Atos Origin SA. Other positions he holds include advisor to Global Leisure Partners LLP.In the period 1992 - 1999 Mr Sankey was the CEO of...
and Serge Crasnianski
Serge Crasnianski
Serge Crasnianski born 3rd July 1942 is a French entrepreneur who founded in 1963 the Grenoble based Key Independent System . This is the company that brought to the world the compact machine that cuts keys, prints business cards, engraves bracelets etc and can be seen in thousands of corner...
were both forced to resign over plans to sell off the vending division by a shareholder revolt.
In February 2009 there was a profit warning and in March 2009 chief executive Thierry Barel resigned.
Serge Crasnianski
Serge Crasnianski
Serge Crasnianski born 3rd July 1942 is a French entrepreneur who founded in 1963 the Grenoble based Key Independent System . This is the company that brought to the world the compact machine that cuts keys, prints business cards, engraves bracelets etc and can be seen in thousands of corner...
was reappointed to the Board as a Non-Executive Director in May 2009 . He was subsequently appointed Deputy Chairman and Joint Chief Executive and in May 2010 assumed the role of Chief Executive.
Following his reappointment, a major restructuring was carried out at KIS and the Group after losses of £6.3 million in 2008 and recorded a pre-tax profit of £1.6 million in the year ending April 30, 2009. In the year to April 30, 2010, the Group’s loss-making wholesale photo-processing labs business was sold and pre-tax profits were reported at £14.0 million. Of note was the £31.6 million improvement in the overall cash position such that the net cash on the Balance Sheet was £8.1 million compared to net debt of £23.5 million the previous year.
Key dates
The company has traditionally been an innovative one and the table below shows the key dates for the introduction of its products. The latest product – the Photobook Maker – is the first self-service kiosk able to produce stylish photobooks in minutes. The Pocketbook Maker is a version of this and produces albums in the popular 6”x4” format.- 1981 - Kis invents 1 hour photo development minilabs;
- 1994 - Photovision – First digital photobooth;
- 2000 - DKS digital minilabs;
- 2004 - Digital printing kiosks;
- 2006 - Photobook Pro album making machine;
- 2009 - Photobook Maker;
- 2010 - All-in-one kiosk and Pocketbook Maker