THE local franchise of phone accessory company, Cellairis, has started to make its own exclusive line of Jamaicandesigned cases. Using three designers to create the themes, Communicase Limited sends the images to the US-based company to run them through a dye sublimation process, which heats the images into the cases.

“We did test samples earlier this year,” said Former Jampro head Sancia Bennett- Templer who established the local franchise last December. “We got the designs in June and started printing and bringing out the (Jamaicanthemed) products in early July.”

The Jamaican-themed accessories feature the national flag, athletic motifs, and patois phrases, among other things. The next step is to set up printing operations in Jamaica. “We are looking at bringing in the equipment to print the cases as well,” said the franchise owner.

Bennett-Templer opened her first location in Manor Park, Kingston, last December to capitalise on Jamaica’s high mobile phone penetration, which is estimated to be over 2.7 million devices. But her second location at Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay enables the local franchise to export the Jamaicandesigned phone accessories.

“We are exporting in the sense that we are selling to tourists,” she said. Communicase will open its third Cellairis store in Jamaica on Friday.

The new walk-in kiosk will be located next to the Tutti Fruitti frozen yogurt store in Barbican Centre. “It’s a great location for us because you have so many young people who live in the Kingston 5 and 6 areas and it’s close to the New Kingston area as well,” said Bennett- Templer.

“It means that we are bringing the product closer to a very important segment of our market.” Locally, Cellairis’s products has to compete with often cheaper streetside vendors. Communicase stores are so far located in a higher end of the market, but Bennett- Templer said the product caters to all types of consumers.

“There is no area in Jamaica which is an exclusive area,” she said. “There are a whole range of other demographics in that area as well. So we offer products to that entire range of audiences. “We look for high population densities but also areas that are underserved as well.”

For the opening of its third location on September 5, Cellairis will conduct training sessions with overseas-based global director of franchise training, Andy Keith. As a seasoned trainer and repair technician, Keith oversees the setting up of new franchise operations throughout the world.

US-based Cellairis, which offers a wide selection of secure and fashionable accessories for phones and tablets, now has more than 700 locations worldwide.