2007
FMG wins cross-media production deal with Mike Soutar’s Crash Test Media.
Emap awards Colour Systems with five new titles bringing its total Emap portfolio to 17.
Hachette sign sole supplier deal with FMG.
Colour Systems launches Virtual In-house Production version 3 (VIP3), the first system of its kind to incorporate real-time flatplanning.
Monkey magazine’s first ABCe audit shows over 200,000 opens.
Integrated design agency, BigKid is launched.
BigKid wins the contract to re-design and re-build VNU’s Bookseller website.
Colour Systems launches the world’s first paperless proofing system with Reader’s Digest.
2006
Colour Systems wins PPA’s Magazine Repro Company of the Year.
With Ceros, Dennis Publishing launch Monkey, the world’s first interactive online only magazine.
Fresh Vision wins ECMOD Supplier of the Year Award.
Asset management giant Barings join Emap, IPC, Elsevier and Haymarket Publishing as clients of Applecart's digital edition technology.
FMG's software development team launch VIP plugin for Adobe InDesign.
2005
Colour Systems is crowned Prepress Company of the Year by the Periodical Publishers Association (PPA).
The UK's largest publisher, IPC Media, award Colour Systems the contract for the production of 10 key titles including Marie Claire and Wallpaper. IPC's Production Director, Debbie Read describes the move as "..right for IPC," and states that the decision was based on "..who was right to help us move to the future."
FMG opens New York office in transatlantic partnership with 291digital.com
FMG launch the publishing industry's first inter-enterprise JDF workflow system using Virtual In-house Production.
Haymarket Publishing transfer all titles to Colour Systems and award sole supplier contract. Haymarket's Production Director, Chris King is quoted as saying "..we regard Colour Systems as a trusted business partner and as an extension of Haymarket Publishing. This is the highest complement I can pay to a supplier.."
2004
Haymarket Publishing's PRWeek magazine begins production using Virtual In-house Production (VIP)
FMG begins development of its Virtual In-house Production system.
Applecart Solutions publishes Haymarket Publishing's prestigious title, Campaign, using its digital edition technology.
FMG's aggressive growth strategy leads to the opening of its second office near its London headquarters. Turnover rises to £10m
Addressing the increasing demand in data communications, FMG launches specialist VOIP technology supplier, Devil7 Ltd.
FMG purchases specialist catalogue and mail order firm - Vision Ltd. The company is re-branded Fresh-Vision and forms the fourth in the Fresh Media Group of companies.
2003
The Litho Origination Group is re-branded and restructured to form the Fresh Media Group (FMG). Turnover rises to £6m.
Building upon the successes of Colour Systems expert technical team, Applecart Solutions, a company dedicated to the creation of bespoke e-publishing systems is formed.
2002
Systemassets wins award for innovation from the Periodical Publishing Association (PPA).
Using Systemassets, Colour Systems launches a centrally managed, bespoke global asset management and production system for 20 different language versions of the Reader's Digest magazine. Reader's Digest Global prepress Manager, Howard Reynolds is "impressed with Colour Systems' ability to provide a bulletproof workflow that integrates the best software and hardware solutions available.."
Colour Systems launches 'Systemassets' - the UK prepess industry's first integrated asset management website.
2001
Colour Systems reputation for expert creative retouching is enhanced with the formation of Size Ltd - a company dedicated to addressing the most demanding Art Directors and photographers.
Colour Systems are awarded a further 10 magazine titles by Haymarket Publishing - making it the publisher's largest single reprographics supplier.
2000
Contract clients now include Emap, IPC, BBC magazines and Readers Digest. Turnover is now at £4m
1999
Colour Systems completes production of the first UK's Readers Digest magazine to use an entirely digital workflow.
1997
Chairman John Heck announces the group's commitment towards a 'totally digital' production environment. "We believe it's the only route to take. Digital pre-press and communications technology is taking us even closer to our clients and printers because it enables us to continue to produce top quality repro, to very tight deadlines"
1995
Investment in technology continues with the Prepress industry's first switched communications network.
1992
Apple launches the Macintosh LCII. Its improved colour capabilities and ease of use lend itself well to the prepress environment and vindicate the decision by the Litho Origination Group to invest in PostScript technologies.
1991
Colour Planners and Colour Origination merge to form Colour Systems. Turnover rises to £3.5m PA.
Accurately predicting the growth of PostScript, the company invests £650,000 in new technology including its first PostScript Rip.
1990
The Litho Origination Group grows rapidly. Turnover hits £2m
1987
Founded by George Berg and David Brin, two independent reprographics companies, Colour Planners and Colour Origination combine to form the Litho Origination Group.
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