Solimar Systems celebrates 35 years of innovation

Print Solutions

Solimar Systems is celebrating its 35th anniversary. Founded on March 22, 1991, the company has grown from a small San Diego start up into a global enterprise serving thousands of customers worldwide and including many Fortune 100 companies.

Solimar's Chemistry platform provides comprehensive workflow solutions for PDF optimisation, job tracking and visibility, document transformation, workflow automation, accessibility, postal savings, and secure digital archive and delivery. The company's solutions serve a wide array of industries, including banking, insurance, distribution, retail, healthcare, education, government, utilities, and print service providers.

‘Thirty-five years is a significant milestone, but what matters most isn't the number – it is what that time represents,’ said Drew Sprague, president of Solimar Systems. ‘It represents thousands of customer relationships, countless problems solved together, and a team that shows up every day committed to making our customers successful. That is what we are really celebrating.’

When the company opened its doors in 1991, its mission was straightforward: help organisations print from computers and mainframes to the emerging generation of digital printing engines. Fax machines were normal technology, the internet was a curiosity, and PDF wouldn't be introduced for two years.

What set Solimar apart from the beginning wasn't just technical capability – it was an unwavering focus on customer collaboration. The company's customer advisory council (CAC) has become a powerful engine for innovation, bringing together customers from across industries to share challenges, test new ideas, and shape the direction of its product development.

‘Our customers aren't just licensees; they are collaborators,’ said Mary Ann Rowan, CXO and co-founder. ‘The CAC is instrumental in keeping us focused on what is needed and what matters in production environments. Some of our best features started as conversations in these meetings. That is the ‘Chemistry’ we talk about – which is why it is also our software platform name.’

Solimar's success is built on strong partnerships across the industry. Hardware partnerships with Canon, HP, Konica Minolta, Kyocera, Riso, Screen, and Xerox ensure its solutions integrate seamlessly across diverse production environments and generations of printers. Implementation partners like Hansen360 help customers maximise the value of their investments within complex print and mail operations.

The company is headquartered in San Diego, California, with staff across the US and the UK, as well as many authorised distributors worldwide.

‘We are grateful to have assembled such an amazing and experienced team of dedicated professionals,’ Drew Sprague reflected. ‘Our employees are committed to creating successes. Our partners trust us with their customers. And those customers, many of whom have been with us for decades, have helped us to get even better. It has been a wonderful voyage.’

Looking ahead, Solimar continues to invest in intelligent automation, PDF optimisation, document security, self paced learning via Solimar University Online (SUO), and opportunities to leverage AI. Recent product releases – including ReadyPDF Prepress Console,  Solscript Xpress, and Solsearcher Cloud demonstrate the company's commitment to staying ahead of evolving customer needs.

‘What I am proudest of and most thankful for after 35 years isn't the technology – it is the relationships. Our customers are growing, taking on bigger jobs, and entering new markets, and we get to be part of that,’ said Mary Ann Rowan. ‘When someone tells me they landed a new contract because our platform gave them the confidence to say yes – I’m delighted. We built Solimar to help production print operations scale, and that mission hasn't changed. It is getting even more exciting every day.’