Kinko’s Sets Sights on Corporate Customers

Kinko’s, the copy and business service chain that traditionally has targeted individual customers and small companies, is going after larger corporations.

The 850-store chain said it wants to focus more attention on bigger corporate customers in an effort to take advantage of the growing movement toward contracting out business services.

“We’ve reached the critical mass, in both number of locations and the depth of services, that we think is necessary to successfully work with large corporations,” said Anne Robillard, director of sales for the Ventura-based company.

Kinko’s already works with more than 200,000 businesses per day, including giants such as Xerox, Sprint, Federal Express and IBM.

The move to garner more corporate clients follows last month’s injection of $200 million by an investment fund managed by Clayton, Dubilier & Rice, which Kinko’s said would help fund new stores and expansion into new markets.

As a condition of that investment, Kinko’s said it planned to incorporate all 129 of its owner-operated companies in one corporate entity so it can better manage its growth.

Kinko’s--which provides copy and fax service, on-site computer rentals and printing, passport photos and overnight mail delivery--has expanded rapidly from one store built in 1970 to serve college students to a worldwide chain serving individuals and small and large businesses.