|
Agreement comes just three weeks after first MBE center opens in Japan
For Immediate Release
Contact: MAIL BOXES ETC.
Mail Boxes Etc. Global Headquarters
(858) 455-8982
PR@mbe.com
SAN DIEGO (June 7, 1999) -
Mail Boxes Etc. (MBE), today announced plans to expand into the Korean market through a master license agreement with Seoul-based SK Global Co. MBE, the world’s largest franchisor of retail business, communication and postal service centers, continues its rapid international expansion with this master license agreement, bringing the total number of countries covered by MBE master license agreements to 61. The signing closely follows MBE Japan’s grand opening of the first MBE center in Tokyo.
"The Asian market is a key region for MBE’s international expansion and this agreement demonstrates our commitment to bring MBE’s services to consumers throughout Asia," said James Amos, MBE president and CEO. "Changes in the Republic of Korea’s economy are resulting in corporate downsizing and an increase in small businesses. This trend strengthens our belief that the region is ideally suited for MBE’s range of services."
MBE has built a reputation for developing services to help make small business operate like big business, regardless of where the are located in the world. According to the National Statistics Office of Korea, Report on Industrial Census (1995), the Republic of Korea has more than two million small and mid-size businesses operating, accounting for nearly 80 percent of the Korean workforce.
SK Global Co. is a unit of SK Group, one of the Republic of Korea’s five largest conglomerates with operations on six continents. Preliminary business plans for the master licensee envision the development of approximately 200 MBE centers throughout Korea during the next five years.
"We believe there is an increasing demand from both small- and mid-size businesses and general consumers in the Republic of Korea for the services provided by MBE," said K.W. Hahn, SK Global Co. "The MBE system is developed in many countries around the world and we’re confident in the business adaptability to our market. We are excited to bring MBE’s renowned world-class customer service to the people of Korea."
On May 18, 1999, MBE Japan, a wholly owned subsidiary of FamilyMart Co. Ltd, a leading franchisor of retail convenience stores in Asia, celebrated the grand opening of its first center in Tokyo. In the region, MBE also has master license agreements in place covering Thailand, Singapore and the Philippines.
Currently, there are approximately 60 franchised MBE centers operating in Australia, Asia and the Pacific. In addition to furthering its expansion in Asia by seeking master licensees for Hong Kong and Taiwan, the company also is pursuing opportunities in Central and Northern Europe and Latin America.
Mail Boxes Etc., a wholly owned subsidiary of US Office Products Company (NASDAQ: OFIS), is the world’s
largest franchisor of retail business, communization and postal service centers. There are more than
3,700 MBE centers operating worldwide, with master licensing agreements in place for the development
of the MBE business in 61 countries around the world. In the United States, MBE centers are owned and
operated by licensed franchisees of Mail Boxes Etc., USA, Inc. Outside the United States, MBE centers
are owned and operated by MBE master licensees or their franchisees. MBE maintains a Web site
at http://www.mbe.com.
US Office Products Company (USOP) is one of North America’s leading providers of office supplies,
office furniture and office breakroom products. In addition to Mail Boxes Etc., USOP also owns and
operated Blue Star Group Limited, a leading supplier of office products and business services in New
Zealand and Australia. USOP’s Web site can be found
at www.usop.com.
|
