Has Service Point shuttered its operations in the U.S. ???

UPDATE #1, FRIDAY, 3:55 PM:
I just heard from an SP-internal-source that this is true, not just a rumor.  If/when I have additional details on this story, I will post a further update.  This news is shocking.

UPDATE #2, SATURDAY, 8:00 AM:
Check out the "comment" that was just posted by someone apparently in the know!  (Comments appear at the very end of the blog post.)

ORIGINAL POST:
This morning, I heard from three different, usually very reliable sources, that Service Point has shut-down (or is in the process of shutting down) its U.S. operations.

Just because I heard this does not mean that this is true.

After I heard this “news”, I reached out – via e-mails – to Service Point’s HQ’s in Barcelona, to the Press communication person listed in Service Point’s most recent press releases, and to Service Point’s U.S. HQ’s – to ask Service Point if this news is true, or not true, or partially true.

In addition to those e-mails, I placed a call to Kevin, the Managing Director of SP’s U.S. business, but, unfortunately, after I got to the Sales office extension and asked for Kevin and was told, “yes, he’s here”, the phone connection was disconnected.  I called from an area where my cell phone connection was very weak, so it’s highly likely that the disconnection resulted from my having a very weak connection.  Later, when I’m in an area where the cell signal is stronger, I’ll try again to get Kevin on the phone.  I, of course, would like to get a statement from him!  (I.E., true, not true, or partially true.)

Rumors can be very detrimental to a business.  In this case, if this “news” is nothing but rumor, meaning that there’s no fact to it, it could, if Service Point management does not move quickly to deny or correct, cause harm to Service Point’s business - and not just here in the U.S. but in the U.K. and in Europe as well.

Therefore, we encourage Service Point management to respond to the inquiry e-mails we sent to Service Point U.S. and to Service Point in Barcelona.

If you have contacts within Service Point’s management team – in the U.S. or in the U.K. or in Europe – please ask them to contact me at joel.salus@mac.com.

Until confirmed by Service Point, I have to consider this news to be “rumor”.

If this “news” is true, it would certainly be a “holy cow” moment.

I will update this post when I’ve heard anything new.

One further note:

Prior to a change in top management at SP USA, which took place in 2005 or 2006, SP’s U.S. revenues were reportedly in the neighborhood of $43 million annually.  But, per recent SP Investor Presentation and financial reports SP filed with the Spanish Stock Exchange (the “Bolsa” I believe it’s called), Service Point USA’s annual revenues in the U.S. were less than $20 million. Still, very substantial revenues!  Which, I think, would place SP USA in the top 10 in the U.S. reprographics industry.