Mainland business buys Blueprint Co.
Advertiser Staff
A Mainland document reproduction business has acquired the Blueprint Co., a 94-year-old firm based in Honolulu that provides reproduction, document management and related services to the architectural, engineering and construction industries.
Walnut Creek, Calif.-based American Reprographics Co. purchased Blueprint Co. for an undisclosed price.
Blueprint Co. was founded in 1914 by George Fred Wright, a surveyor who became mayor of Honolulu, and his partners.
Allan Dowsett, who previously was Blueprint Co.'s sole owner and president, will continue as president of the business, which employs about 20. Dowsett said the acquisition will allow Blueprint Co. to grow while maintaining its local essence.
"We're going to maintain and continue our Hawaiian style of doing business, but we're just taking it global," he said. "The flavor, the texture, the theme of what we do remains the same."
Dowsett added that Blueprint Co. is keeping its name, clients and vendors.
American Reprographics traces its history back to a company called Ford Graphics, established in Los Angeles in 1960.
Since 2000, the company has aggressively grown by acquiring other companies, and three years ago raised additional capital selling stock to the public. Last year, American Reprographics reported $688 million in revenue, and today has about 300 offices under a variety of names.