Mr. Handyman Builds China Presence

By: Mr. Handyman Int'l. LLC | 0 Shares 300 Reads

No. 1 U.S. Franchise First to Fill China's Demand for Property Maintenance and Repair Service

December 03, 2007 // Franchising.com // Ann Arbor, Mich. – Mr. Handyman, a full-service home repair and maintenance company and the No. 1 employer of handymen nationwide, announced today that it has established a master franchise agreement in China, making it a forerunner to fulfill the booming demand for handyman services in the world's most populated country.

According to Todd Recknagel, president of the 290-unit Mr. Handyman franchise, the company will be the first American franchised handyman service brand to operate in China.

"We're No. 1 in the United States and we want to be No. 1 throughout the world," Recknagel said, noting expansion plans for Mr. Handyman in at least nine other countries in the next three years. "This Master Franchise agreement is a tremendous opportunity for Mr. Handyman to build an international presence. We are thrilled with the expertise that our partners bring to the table. We are positioned for astronomical success in this new territory."

The deal between Mr. Handyman and Wuhan Tian Cheng Decoration Company, Ltd. calls for an initial four company-owned Mr. Handyman units in and around Wuhan, the largest city in the Hubei province, with another 15 franchised units to open within the next 10 years. Looking ahead, the entire country could hold up to 1,000 Mr. Handyman franchises, Recknagel said. Wuhan Tian Cheng is one of China's top building and remodeling companies, having built thousands of condominium complex units in Wuhan, a city of nearly 9 million people. The first Mr. Handyman unit is slated to open in the spring of 2008, following training that will take place both here and in China.

While on some levels the demand for professional, reliable and reasonable home-repair handyman services in China mirrors that of America, a variety of factors have created a sense of urgency there that is unseen domestically. According to Recknagel, more than 45 million people have entered the middle class in the last two years alone, and an estimated 500 million, or more than 40 percent of China's population, will fall in that category by 2020. The thriving economy in China has created a building boom, with the majority of condominiums, known there as interior flats, owned by single, middle-class working people with little or no time for home improvement or repair service.

"We're squarely positioned to capitalize on this critical market need, which is why the ideal master franchise partner approached us," he said. "Mr. Handyman China is destined for success."

Mr. Handyman enlisted the consultant services of Edwards Global Services (EGS) to aid in its international expansion. EGS, which specializes in helping companies find suitable and profitable international markets to thrive in, has over 70 years of combined experience in identifying and implementing international business development projects.

Here in America, according to the U. S. Census Bureau, six out of 10 homeowners have home improvement to-do's, and most Americans have an eye on seven or more projects at any given time. For millions of homeowners, tending to these nagging repairs while balancing work and family has created a thriving demand for professional, safe and reliable home-repair services. The Mr. Handyman concept is recognized as one of America's fastestgrowing, service-oriented franchise systems. Entrepreneur magazine ranked Mr. Handyman the #1 handyman service in their January 2007, issue.

About Mr. Handyman

Mr. Handyman (www.mrhandyman.com) is a network of independently owned and operated franchises with more than 290 locations nationwide that provide commercial and residential property maintenance and repair services. Founded in March 2000, Mr. Handyman is a member of Service Brands International, a group of service companies that provide a variety of timesaving services ideally suited for today's active consumer.