After moving back to Fort Worth, Texas, couple Jim and Sheryl Francis knew they wanted to start a business that combined their respective backgrounds in information technology and art. After discovering the Minuteman Press franchise, they knew it was the perfect fit and officially opened for business on June 5, 2017. To help get their franchise up and running, the Francis’ acquired the first two Xerox Versant 180 Presses, which officially launched on April 4. 

“My entire business is hinged on digital technology, so I did the research to pick the best tools for the job and I’m really excited to be an early adopter of the Versant 180,” said Jim Francis, who left a 30-year career in software development that included a stint at Microsoft, to open a family printing and marketing services business. “Xerox is a name you can trust. They are known for excellent support, and the new Versant models are more advanced and automated, so you can do a lot more with them.”

Their Minuteman franchise is one of only two in Fort Worth, and the only one on the city’s north side, which Francis says “is growing like crazy” – including in the small and medium-sized business segment he is targeting. Services include digitally printed direct mail, brochures, fliers and business cards; wide-format printed banners, signs and vehicle wraps; promotional items like pens, mugs and t-shirts; graphic design and 3D modeling. Their son, Chris, who is an experienced 3D modeler and graphic designer, will run the new presses.  

One of the new Versant 180’s is equipped with several inline finishing devices that automate production, including an inline booklet maker, a two- and three-hole punch, an inserter module and two large-capacity trays. The second Versant 180 provides redundancy and additional capacity.

The Versant 180 prints as fast as 80 pages per minute, handles stocks as heavy as 350 gsm and as large as 13”x26”, and prints with Ultra HD Resolution. Standard automation features include Registration Alignment and Production Accurate Registration, which ensure image-to-media alignment and density uniformity, and a Full Width Array, which automates many image quality adjustments.

The couple has ambitious financial goals for the new business, including surpassing $31,000 in monthly revenues by their sixth month, and reaching $1 million in annual revenues by 2020.