(Wednesday, July 22, 2010)
FASTSIGNS, the world's premier business-to-business marketing solution franchise with more than 530 locations, announced it has signed deals for new franchises in Kitchener and Toronto, Ontario that will increase its presence in Canada to 24 centers and growing.
The two new Canadian locations are the latest step in FASTSIGNS overall franchise expansion program, which calls for a combination of opening new FASTSIGNS centers, as well as converting existing independent sign shops to the brand through a streamlined lower investment process.
Furthermore, the expansion comes as the company reported double-digit sales growth in 2010 in the Canadian market.
"We consistently outperform the competition on multiple levels," said Mark Jameson, Senior Vice President of Franchise Development for FASTSIGNS. "As an industry leader, we focus squarely on profitability, satisfaction and success of our franchisees," said Jameson, noting that FASTSIGNS ranked No. 1 for five years running in Franchise Business Review's Franchisee Satisfaction Survey.
The new Toronto FASTSIGNS will be a conversion of an independent sign and graphics shop, SignTel, owned by Philip and Sue Yang. Philip Yang said owning a FASTSIGNS was something of a dream, allowing him to take advantage of a large, supportive franchisee network and FASTSIGNS' industry-leading business model. The company's conversion program provided an opportunity for Yang to affiliate with a leading brand like FASTSIGNS at a lower investment level than starting one from scratch.
"Joining the FASTSIGNS franchise system will allow me to take my business to the next level," said Yang, who learned about FASTSIGNS in an industry trade magazine. "I always wanted to own my own FASTSIGNS and be a part of an industry-leading franchise system. I'll have the benefits of their support, their marketing programs and innovative technology, but still be in business for myself."
The new FASTSIGNS location in Kitchener will be opened by franchisee Rob Richmond, a successful international businessman who has worked in finance on four continents, including as finance director with a large manufacturing firm.
