The Color Group
The Color Group is a Seattle-based, family-operated printing company founded around 1997-1998, specializing in fine art giclée printing, commercial printing, large format printing, scanning, and proprietary PlexiPrint® acrylic mounting for artists, galleries, and corporate clients in the Pacific Northwest.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1998
- HeadquartersSeattle, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What The Color Group does
The Color Group is a privately held, Seattle-based printing services company founded around 1997-1998, operating from a single facility at 1741 4th Ave S in the SoDo district. It serves two primary customer groups: artists, photographers, and galleries requiring archival fine art reproduction, and corporate/business clients needing commercial printing, large format displays, and custom corporate art installations. The company is family-operated with a disclosed team of five members led by owner Eric Nielsen, alongside PrePress Manager Kevin Ducoing, Lead Designer Laurie Nielsen, Operations Coordinator Kurt Nielsen, and a shop dog named Margie. Headcount is not disclosed beyond these named individuals, and the business shows no evidence of outside investors, parent company, or external funding.
The company's core technical capabilities center on color-critical reproduction. These include fine art giclée printing with archival substrates, drum and flatbed scanning, 400+ megapixel high-resolution art photography (launched in a new studio in February 2025), large format printing, and the proprietary PlexiPrint® acrylic double float mount technique. Color management is handled through a library of custom ICC output profiles specific to the company's equipment and substrates, downloadable by customers. Supporting services include full bindery and finishing (perfect/coil/wire-O/saddle stitch binding, foil stamping, embossing, laminating, mounting) plus custom framing and on-site installation for corporate art projects.
The business runs a direct-to-customer, project-based sales model with quote-based pricing and no publicly disclosed price list. Revenue streams are entirely transactional: fine art scanning and printing, commercial offset and digital printing, large format printing, bindery/finishing, and framing/installation. Customer acquisition relies on inbound channels (website quote forms, file upload portal, phone, sample kit requests) and a content marketing program that uses a project journal and technical resource library to showcase capabilities and build trust. Notable named customers include Whistler Blackcomb, Allianz (NYC), PicMonkey, Stonington Gallery, and Charles Smith Jet City Winery, with no disclosed revenue figures, subscription or recurring revenue components, or third-party distribution.
The Color Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Color Group
- Legal name
- The Color Group
- Website
- https://thecolorgroup.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1998
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Color Group is a Seattle-based, family-operated printing company founded around 1997-1998, specializing in fine art giclée printing, commercial printing, large format printing, scanning, and proprietary PlexiPrint® acrylic mounting for artists, galleries, and corporate clients in the Pacific Northwest.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Color Group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Commercial Printing Services
- NAICS
- Photographic Services (54192)
- SIC
- Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Color Matching, Tinting & Colorant Systems (IMAEAHAL)
Keywords
Where The Color Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Seattle
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Color Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Commercial Printing Services: Offset and digital color printing for stationery, marketing materials, booklets, catalogs, and promotional content. One-time project-based revenue.
- Fine Art Printing & Scanning: High-resolution art scanning (including drum scanning), giclée printing, and fine art reproduction services for artists and galleries.
- Large Format Printing: Wide format printing for retail graphics, trade show exhibits, posters, banners, wall murals, and corporate decor.
- Bindery & Finishing Services: Perfect binding, coil binding, wire-O binding, saddle stitch, foil stamping, embossing, laminating, mounting, and other finishing services.
- Framing & Installation Services: Custom framing, silhouette float frames, and on-site installation services for corporate art and decor.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
The Color Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Color Group is a Seattle-based printing services provider offering high-resolution fine art scanning, archival giclée printing, commercial offset and digital printing, large format printing, and full bindery/finishing/framing services. The company serves artists, photographers, galleries, and corporate clients with color-accurate reproduction and end-to-end project support from file preparation through installation.
Product overview
The Color Group is a Seattle-based printing company offering two primary service lines: Fine Art Services (high resolution art scanning and archival printing/giclée) and Commercial Printing (offset and digital color printing for marketing materials, stationery, and catalogs). Their portfolio includes large format printing, scanning services, bindery finishing, corporate art and framing, and specialty PlexiPrint® acrylic printing products. The company operates with over 27 years of industry experience.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Fine Art Services
Quantifiable outcome
- 400+ megapixel art photography capability
Companies that use The Color Group
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
The Color Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
The Color Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Stonington GalleryminorCollaboration with Stonington Gallery in historic Pioneer Square for art installations. The gallery commissions The Color Group for large scale art printing and mounting services.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights3 records
The Color Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- Epson Professional Imaging: Major manufacturer of professional inkjet printers (SureColor series) used widely for fine art giclée and photographic printing. Adjacent ecosystem enabler to The Color Group's fine art printing service.
- Canon Professional Services: Major imaging equipment manufacturer whose inkjet printers, ICC workflow tools, and imagePROGRAF large format printers underpin the giclée and large-format printing ecosystem. Adjacent ecosystem participant relevant to The Color Group's technology stack.
Direct peers
- Bay Photo Lab: California-based fine art and photographic printing lab specializing in giclée prints, metal prints, and custom mounting for artists and photographers. Most direct US competitor to The Color Group's fine art reproduction offering.
- Mpix: Professional online photo printing service offering archival prints, canvas, and metal prints for professional photographers and artists. Comparable product line and customer base to The Color Group's fine art services.
- Nations Photo Lab: Online professional photo and fine art printing service offering giclée, metal, and canvas prints targeted at photographers and artists. Direct competitor for fine art reproduction work, with national shipping reach.
Broad incumbents
- Minuteman Press: International franchise printing network offering commercial printing, bindery, and finishing services. Comparable to The Color Group's commercial printing, bindery, and finishing service line.
- AlphaGraphics: National franchise network providing commercial printing, marketing materials, and large-format services. Overlaps with The Color Group's general commercial printing segment, though AlphaGraphics operates a broader franchise model.
- Duggal Visual Solutions: New York-based large-format printing and visual solutions provider serving corporate, retail, and gallery clients with large format, mounting, and installation work. Overlaps with The Color Group's large format and corporate art installation services but at a much larger scale.
Regional players
- Seattle Print Group: Seattle-area commercial printing company offering offset, digital, and large format printing, plus finishing and bindery. Directly competes with The Color Group in the Seattle metro commercial printing market.
Emerging players
- ArtisanHD: Online fine art printing service offering giclée prints, canvas wraps, and custom mounting for artists and photographers. Direct emerging competitor in the artist-facing fine art reproduction space.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Color Group social profiles
Digital presenceThe Color Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Color Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
The Color Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Color Group M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Color Group
What does The Color Group do?
The Color Group is a Seattle-based printing services provider offering high-resolution fine art scanning, archival giclée printing, commercial offset and digital printing, large format printing, and full bindery/finishing/framing services. The company serves artists, photographers, galleries, and corporate clients with color-accurate reproduction and end-to-end project support from file preparation through installation.
Is The Color Group a public or private company?
The Color Group is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was The Color Group founded?
The Color Group was founded in 1998. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is The Color Group based?
The Color Group is headquartered in Seattle, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Color Group make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Commercial Printing Services are the primary driver. The others are fine Art Printing & Scanning, large Format Printing, bindery & Finishing Services and framing & Installation Services.
Who are The Color Group's main competitors?
Others on record are Epson Professional Imaging and Canon Professional Services. Direct peers are Bay Photo Lab, Mpix and Nations Photo Lab. Broad incumbents are Minuteman Press, AlphaGraphics and Duggal Visual Solutions. Seattle Print Group is listed as a regional player. ArtisanHD is listed as an emerging player.
Does The Color Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Color Group.
What industry is The Color Group in?
The Color Group's product category is Commercial Printing Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAEAHAL, Color Matching, Tinting & Colorant Systems. Its NAICS code is 54192 and its SIC code is 7330.