Cartridge World Founder Paul Wheeler Forms Group 7 Franchise Consultants

CARTRIDGE World founder Paul Wheeler is back in franchising, three years after selling down stake in the business.

Mr Wheeler returns to the industry after he and co-founder Bryan Stokes sold down their share of the successful global business for a reported $70 million.

Mr Wheeler and former Cartridge World regional managing director Mike Fuller have reunited to form a Norwood-based firm that will offer a guiding hand to others wanting to enter franchising.

Group Seven Franchising will announce its first clients in February. The directors also expect to reveal plans for a master franchise with a potential 70 outlets in Australia and New Zealand early next year.

Mr Wheeler said Group Seven would act as a consultant for aspiring franchise businesses as well as scope for potential master franchises to straddle the Tasman.

 Part of the business is an alliance with UK-based company Franchise Development Services to introduce successful UK and European franchises into Australia.

 "They will be proven customers in the UK with 50 to 80 to100 outlets in operation," Mr Fuller said of potential franchise businesses entering the Australian market.

Mr Wheeler said: "We want to see established businesses with good records overseas and something unique in Australia that's profitable and a service-type business."

 He said the new company planned to use its same support network of Adelaide-based lawyers, accountants and marketers.

Mr Wheeler hoped to see Group Seven establish the same profitability as Cartridge World within 10 years. The directors also had strong and established relationships with franchise business people all over the world on which they would draw.

Cartridge World, now based on Greenhill Rd, was bought by private equity company Wolseley in 2007 and has 1650 stores in 53 countries.

Mr Fuller resigned from Cartridge World in April but retains a small shareholding in the company.

Founded in 1988, Cartridge World earned $US12 million on revenue of $US300 million in 2007, Mr Wheeler said.

 Its current owners have increased the number of franchise stores in India from 50 to 100 in the past 18 months, Mr Fuller said.

Tags:bryan stokes, consultants for aspiring franchise businesses, franchise business, franchise development services., group seven franchising, Mike Fuller, paul wheeler, potential master franchises

Source:Meredith Booth,The Advertiser, December 07, 2010 12:00am,Cartridge World founder Paul Wheeler back in the franchising game ;

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