1990 - Founded

• A few years after college graduation, John Smiroldo, and brothers Matt and Andrew Bowditch founded Pure Imaging. The “corporate offices” were a 200 square foot room in the Bowditch family home. The three partners maxed out their credit cards, spending $68,456 to purchase two of the groundbreaking Apple Mac II FX 40 mhz computers with the 8-24gc video card, the first release of Photoshop and a QMS color printer. The partners recognized the potential of Photoshop and its ability to compete with and exceed the capability of Scitex, the proprietary industry-standard color correction system. This belief remains at the core of Pure Imaging’s philosophy: to always be at the forefront of technology.

1993 - 1st major expansion

• Business was booming and Pure Imaging purchased the all-new Linotype-Hell 3800 drum scanner and a Linotype 330 film recorder. Photoshop had now progressed significantly to version 2.5, and new Mac Quadras were purchased. Pure Imaging moved into a 2,500 square foot office in Watertown, MA and launched a book composition department, servicing majors clients such as Delmar Publishing, Addison-Wesley, Houghton Mifflin, and MIT Press.

1995 - Major Equipment Purchases

• Pure Imaging purchased two film recorders: an Agfa Selectset 5000 and an Agfa SelectSet 7000, a Konica Konsensus proofer and two Scitex IRIS inkjet printers, installing a SCSII-based network to facilitate high speed transfers of large files.

1996 - Catastrophe

• Due to torrential rains and flooding on Columbus Day weekend, Pure Imaging’s basement production facility and offices were completely destroyed by flood waters. While three feet of water and sewage was being cleaned out of our space, we continued production offsite, with virtually no interruption in service to our clients. All equipment was replaced and we purchased an additional Agfa SelectSet 7000.

1997 - Corporation Splits

• Pure Imaging split from the Bowditch brothers. The Bowditch brothers retained the book composition component of the business, and named it Argosy. John Smiroldo gained 100% control of Pure Imaging and purchased a state-of -the-art digital dot-based Kodak Approval.

1998 - 2nd major expansion

• Pure Imaging expanded and built out a new 9,000 square foot facility (on higher ground!) at 125 Walnut Street in Watertown, MA.

  Major equipment purchases
  Pure Imaging installed two more Scitex IRIS printers, a Linotype-Hell 3900 drum scanner and a new 126gb Raid. Additional purchases were a Scitex Brisque and a Heidelberg Topaz copix copydot scanner.

  Major workflow advances
  Pure Imaging began converting its clients to a full CTP (computer-to-plate) workflow. Quad Graphics fully supported and encouraged Pure Imaging’s efforts, unlike many other commercial printers, who resisted CTP.

2000 - Magazine Launch

• Pure Imaging launches Antiques & Fine Art Magazine which soon becomes the dominant magazine in the industry.

2001 - Major Equipment Purchases

• Pure Imaging acquired an additional Kodak Approval, upgraded two of the IRIS printers and installed a new 500gb Raid.

  Technology Initiatives
  Pure Imaging launched Pure DBL, Pure FTP, Pure PDF and Pure Assets – all to enhance productivity within a CTP workflow. We then implemented a complete open source ICC- based color management system.

2006 - 3rd Major Expansion

• Pure Imaging completed a five month renovation of our existing space, adding another 1,200 square feet for a total of 10,200 square feet, to meet the needs of the new digital era.

2007 - 2008 - Digitization

• Pure Imaging begins a massive Book Digitization project in partnership with Antiques & Fine Art Magazine.

  Pure Imaging implements Matchprint Virtual, a state-of-the art Virtual Proofing system eliminating excessive rounds of hard proofing for its clients

2011 - AFA Publishing

• Pure Imaging launches AFA Publishing, a contract publisher specializing in the field of Antiques and Fine Art (AFA).