Mr. Handyman Builds Presence in Ireland and the United Kingdom

By: Mr. Handyman Int'l. LLC | 1 Shares 189 Reads

No. 1 U.S. Franchise Expands to European Market to Fill Demand for Property Maintenance and Repair Service

Ann Arbor, Mich. – Mr. Handyman, a full-service home repair and maintenance company and the No. 1 employer of handymen in the United States, announced today that it has established a presence in the United Kingdom and Ireland to fulfill the booming demand for handyman services around the world.

"We're No. 1 in the United States and we want to be No. 1 throughout the world," said Todd Recknagel, president of Mr. Handyman, noting expansion plans for Mr. Handyman in at least four other countries in the next three years. "This license agreement is a tremendous opportunity for Mr. Handyman to continue developing as an international presence after becoming the first American franchised handyman service brand to operate in China."

Building on the momentum of opening the first Mr. Handyman franchise in China in Spring 2008, the international franchise company will open its first European location in February 2009. The deal between Mr. Handyman and license holder Frank McCarthy calls for an initial company-owned franchise in Dublin, the capital city of Ireland, which will serve as the call center for the whole island.

"Due to the population density and geographic layout of Ireland and the United Kingdom, Mr. Handyman will operate differently in comparison to the United States," Recknagel said. "Initially a call center will be set up in Dublin and serve as the main franchise for the country. The license holder will then lease Mr. Handyman vans to service technicians instead of selling franchise locations throughout Ireland."

Frank McCarthy holds the licensing rights to Mr. Handyman for Ireland and the U.K. and will operate the brand as Mr. Handyman.com. Prior to becoming the first European license holder for Mr. Handyman, McCarthy owned a major commercial cleaning company in Ireland that employed more than 1,700 workers.

According to McCarthy, Mr. Handyman.com will be operating 28 vans with in the first year in Ireland with projected revenue of $3 million dollars. By 2012, Mr. Handyman.com will be operating more than 85 vans in Ireland and the U.K., with a goal of opening the first franchise in London by the end of 2009.

Mr. Handyman has proven its business model to be successful by opening more than 300 franchises in the U.S., but decided to launch Mr. Handyman.com in Ireland and the U.K. by using a licensing model.

"When looking at the markets compared to the U.S., we decided leasing vans in Ireland and the U.K. would allow Mr. Handyman.com to operate in a more efficient and effective manner," Recknagel said. "Mr. Handyman.com will be able to operate with a high level of quality by using central call centers that will dispatch the leased vans across a large territory."

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 more than 100 years of combined experience in identifying and implementing international business development projects.

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. 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 fastest-growing, service-oriented franchise systems. Entrepreneur magazine ranked Mr. Handyman the #1 handyman service in their January 2007, issue.

About Mr. Handyman

Mr. Handyman is a network of independently owned and operated franchises with 300 locations nationwide that provides 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. In November 2008, Service Brands International was selected as one of the Top 50 franchises for Minorities by the National Minority Franchising Initiative. In the January 2008 issue of Entrepreneur magazine, Mr. Handyman was recognized as one of America's fastest growing, service-oriented franchise systems and the No. 1 handyman service. In 2008, Mr. Handyman enlisted famed handyman TV persona Richard Karn, the former Al Borland from ABC's sitcom 'Home Improvement,' to serve as the national spokesperson and face of the Mr. Handyman brand for the next two years.

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