Photomaton® ME Group joins Orient Express Racing Team as an Official Partner

Orient Express Racing Team © Orient Express Racing Team

Orient Express Racing Team's high-speed foiling AC75 race boat will sport the distinctive Photomaton® ME Group colours and logo on its sails during the prestigious America's Cup event. The Photomaton® ME Group, an innovative world leader in high-tech self-service vending machines, has gone into partnership with K-Challenge, the driving force behind the Orient Express Racing Team's bid for the 37th America's Cup.

The move renews a historic Cup connection after the 1987 French Kiss campaign — the first French challenger to reach the semi-finals of the world's oldest sporting trophy — was instigated by the founder of KIS, a Photomaton® ME Group company.

"French Kiss was one of the finest pages written by France in sport and the America's Cup, with spectacular images in Fremantle," said Stephan Kandler, founder of K-Challenge and CEO of Orient Express Racing Team.

"Just after the Australian team's victory in 1983, it triggered my passion for this trophy. From the outset a handful of us, including Bruno Dubois my partner, Benjamin Muyl, Franck Cammas and Quentin Delapierre, wanted, even dreamed of, bringing together all the French talent working in the Cup world, both on a sporting and technical level.

"Since the official team announcement on 2 February 2023, and thanks to the support of the French group Accor and its brands Orient Express and All.com, we have been working hard to build solid foundations for a conquering French team.

"The planets continue to align. To welcome the iconic French brand Photomaton® ME Group as Official Partner to Orient Express Racing Team is a great source of pride."

"The America's Cup is an arena where the brightest minds and most advanced technologies in the sailing industry come together," said Christian Autié, COO of ME Group.

"Photomaton® ME Group is excited to contribute to this competitive atmosphere and demonstrate the brand's commitment to exploration, performance and innovation.

"We are extremely proud to be associated with Orient Express Racing Team for the America's Cup 2024. This partnership embodies our commitment to excellence, innovation and a passion for adventure.

"We look forward to supporting the three Orient Express Racing Teams on the water in Barcelona from 22 August 2024. Three teams of talented men and women. Three trophies to conquer. It's going to be engaging and challenging. Everything we like at Photomaton® ME Group."

A major player in sectors as diverse as photography, laundry and food, Photomaton® ME Group is an international market leader in automated instant service equipment with 70 million transactions worldwide per year built on a 60-year history of innovation.

Today Photomaton® ME Group is present in more than 19 countries with 50,000 self-service vending machines. Photo booths and print kiosks (Photomaton®), laundromats (Wash ME Group™) and food with connected fridges and pizza vending machines (Feed ME Group™) are the cornerstones of the group.