Photo-Me helped by digital kiosks

Photo-Me is continuing to roll out a network of Digital Media Kiosks

The growing popularity of digital photography has helped photo-booth operator Photo-Me International enjoy a 56% rise in annual pre-tax profits.

The firm has benefited from the roll-out of digital media kiosks, which enable people to print pictures from digital cameras or mobile phones.

For the year ending 30 April, UK-based Photo-Me made a pre-tax profit of £33m ($60m), beating analysts' expectations.

It said its digital and traditional kiosks were continuing to do well.

"Overall, prospects for sustained profitable growth remain good," Photo-Me said in a statement.

Wireless connections

Photo-Me has an international network of 28,000 photo booths, in locations such as railway stations and Post Offices.

There are already 3,000 operational digital media kiosks and the firm hopes to add an extra 5,000 by the end of 2005.

Users can print out pictures by either plugging in their digital camera's memory card, or by using infrared or Blue Tooth wireless technology.

"We banked on digital photography taking off, and of course it has" said Photo-Me chairman Vernon Sankey.

"The new kiosks are very easy to operate, you just follow the instructions essentially.

"You do need a minimum of technical capability, but people obviously get used to it."

Photo-Me's annual turnover rose 7.3% to £236m.

The company also makes photo-processing laboratories for photography stores, which remains the core of its business, now focusing primarily on digital processing.

Shares in the Surrey-based company were up 5% in early trading on Tuesday.