2008
Linney Design rises to No. 26 in the Design Week Top 100.
2007
Linney Design rises to No. 32 in the Design Week Top 100.
2004
The innovation and investment continues.
Linney Print installs a new five-colour press at a cost of £1.3m, introduces full electronic job scheduling, and welcomes Prelin to a new purpose-built area within its building.
Linney Design makes its mark at No. 51 in the UK’s top 100 Design Agencies. Linney Direct now operates out of 15,000m2.
The same year, Linney Connect was born – connecting expertise from across all our companies, and from external partners as needed – to ensure the very best results and value for customers.
2003
From five employees in 1992, Linney Design now operates with 50 staff.
In 2003 it breaks the £5 million sales barrier, making it the biggest design company in the East Midlands.
Linney Direct’s turnover is now close to £10m, with services include digital printing, print-on-demand, online ordering, stock management and bespoke IT solutions.
2002
Another year of huge investment.
Linney Print spends £1m on perfect binding facilities. Quadrant invests over £1m on two five-colour presses and new computer-to-plate facilities.
1999
The Quadrant studio is re-equipped with the latest technology and merged with the plate room.
Meanwhile, Mail-Lin invests £600,000 in further automation and MIS systems, while Linprint spends £1.5m on new plant and MIS systems, later merging with Linneys Colour Print.
For greater clarity and identity, The Design Works is renamed Linney Design, Linneys Colour Print becomes Linney Print, Mail-Lin becomes Linney Direct and, together with Quadrant Offset, they become collectively known as Linney Group.
1998
A new age begins as the new business premises at Adamsway are completed.
The 10-acre site now houses Linneys Colour Print, Linprint, Prelin, Mail-Lin, Business East Midlands and The Design Works.
Margaret Beckett, Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, joins Ian, Nick and Miles Linney to help bury a time capsule beneath our new main entrance.
Among its contents are local icons including a can of Mansfield Bitter and copy of the Chad.
1997
The future starts here…
Work begins on a new, purpose-built site at Adamsway in Mansfield. Three generations of the Linney family are on hand to help get work under way on the Group’s future home.
Meanwhile, investments in the future continue, with our first eight-colour presses, and over £500,000 of equipment – including digital proofing systems – at Prelin.
1996
W & J Linney acquires the highly innovative Quadrant Offset.
Now based in Hertford, Quadrant represents the B2 sheet-fed printing arm of the Group, with a skilled team offering great quality and fast turnarounds.
Meanwhile, Prelin is investigating the efficiency potential of large-scale digital workflows.
1995
The business parts company with its newspaper publishing interests, but steps into the future with the birth of a New Media department at The Design Works.
Initially providing multimedia and CD-ROM material, it rapidly expands to offer web design for educational and commercial clients.
Today, it’s one of our busiest departments.
1994
First installation of the Scitex system at Prelin, including scanner, rip and imagesetter
1993
To meet growing demand, Mail-Lin introduces new computerised fulfilment for order capture – later extended to link directly with clients’ own databases.
1992
Linneys Colour Print is among the first UK printing companies to achieve ISO 9000 quality-management accreditation.
Links with our print clients has also helped The Design Works become a major design supplier for UK universities.
1990
Nick’s eldest son, Miles, joins the business, taking Linneys into its sixth generation.
In that time, the business has continued to evolve and diversify its activities to serve ever-changing customer needs.
1986
Linneys acquires The Design Works – founded in 1984 to provide design expertise for local clients of a Linney newspaper.
Buying the Business Magazine Group this year too meant The Design Works could also extend into magazines.
The same year, Linprint is founded.
1985
Mail-Lin is formed by the Business Magazine Group in a bid to polybag, mailsort and despatch its own magazines.
With demand for collation and stock management growing among our print clients too, in-house fulfilment proves invaluable.
Mail-Lin’s first major contract for complex despatching is quickly followed by others.
1983
As print turnover hits £2m and staff levels reach 100, our print company becomes ‘Linneys Colour Print’.
In just three years, all presses are replaced with new machines boasting computerised inking and perfecting technology, costing over £1.5m.
1981
The end of an era, as the retail shops arm of the business draws to a close.
The familiar sight of Linneys’ VW vans would soon be a thing of the past.
1977
Born racer Nick Linney breaks the Oceanair Clubman’s Championship lap record at Brands Hatch.
He’s not the only one blazing a trail this year…
With its new £65,000 Variable Input Phototypesetter, The Printing Works eliminates the need for ‘hot metal’ letterpress printing.
1976
Mansfield town centre goes through large-scale change, but Linneys name proudly remains to link the old with the new.
Linneys – now with a newly expanded store, the largest of the four the business now operates.
In printing, our first large-format presses are installed, starting with a two-colour litho machine, and swiftly followed by four-colour presses in 1980 and 1982.
1975
Ghostly goings on reported at the Nottingham Stationery Centre, according to December’s ‘Linney News’…
Open in 1952 at the old Congregational chapel in Nottingham, it’s plagued by a cloaked figure, cold draughts and inexplicable lights in windowless rooms according to staff!
1972
Ian Linney’s son, Nick, joins the business. Today he is the Chariman of W&J Linney Ltd.
1968
Linneys is one of the earliest companies to move into lithography print processes.
A team of 25 people now operates under the name of "Linneys of Mansfield".
In the coming years, the business would acquire and launch many weekly newspapers.
1952
The Mansfield Chronicle and North Notts Advertiser newspapers merge… and The Chad is born.
Between now and 1969, the business also opens four new stationery shops.
1946
John Linney’s grandson, Ian – our current Deputy Chairman – buys the business back after a brief period in other hands.
Now with 18 people, its annual turnover is £35,000.
1901
One of many first for Linneys!
Besides the local police, our book shop in Westgate was the first site in Mansfield to receive a telephone line.
A telegraph pole was erected in Angel Yard, behind the store, in 1901.
1881
The business is by now a bookseller, stationer, printer, wholesaler, newsagent, musical instrument vendor, paperhanger, warehouse proprietor, steam printer and newspaper publisher.
Herbert Linney is even on board as piano tuner and repairer!
1851
William Linney starts a book and stationery shop in Leeming Street, Mansfield.
His son, John, joins the business in 1869 aged just 21 – forming W & J Linney.
John launches the Mansfield and North Nottinghamshire Advertiser two years later.