Type Public limited company Industry Vending Website www.photo-me.com Founded 1958 | Traded as LSE: PHTM Area served World wide Headquarters United Kingdom Key person Serge Crasnianski | |
Key people Serge Crasnianski, (CEO) Stock price PHTM (LON) 160.75 GBX -1.00 (-0.62%)30 Mar, 5:08 PM GMT+1 - Disclaimer Subsidiaries Kis S.A., AJ Soft Eurl, Fowler UK Ltd | ||
Photo-Me International plc (LSE: PHTM) based in Bookham, Surrey operates photobooths. It became a plc in 1963 and has built operations in several countries including Indonesia, Japan, Philippines, Germany and France in addition to the UK. Although most well known for its photobooths, Photo-Me operates, sells and services a range of instant service equipment.
The Company's shares have been 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.
Canary Wharf in London has installed the company's photo booths but in this case they are ones designed in conjunction with Philippe Stark.
The company has diversified into the laundry business, with a division called 'Revolution'. Revolution is a 24/7 outdoor self-service launderette. This division is trading beyond expectations with 2000 units planned for the end of 2015.
In November 2016 it was announced that the company had bought the photo division of Asda stores. Photo-Me will take over the supermarket's 191 photo centres and 172 self-service kiosks.
On 18 January 2017 it was announced in the United Kingdom House of Lords, that the government is seeking to allow the public to submit selfies direct to the passport office for approval. (BBC iplayer - Wednesday in Parliament - 18 Jan 2017)