About

Techmer PM History

Techmer PM was established by John Manuck in November 1981 in Los Angeles to fill a growing need for a top-tier manufacturer of plastic colorants and additives in the western United States. In our first few years, we quickly established lasting relationships with film extrusion processors and plastic molders.
Commercial Building

By 1985, we moved into our longest actively operating site in Rancho Dominguez, California. Later that year, we began a relationship with Tokyo Printing Ink and Mitsui & Co. of Japan, which inspired the creation of our largest plant in Clinton, Tennessee, in 1988.

Since this significant production milestone, we have become a worldwide supplier of custom masterbatches and engineered polymer compounds to the plastics and fiber industries. In 2020, SK Capital took a majority interest in Techmer PM, creating a partnership that’s enabling us to expand our global reach even further.

Quality and Leadership

Since the 1990s, we’ve added hundreds of employees to our team and earned numerous processing, manufacturing, and organizational structure certifications to establish our commitment to quality in all aspects of our business. We’ve also opened locations in Gainesville, Georgia, and Wichita, Kansas, as well as a Fiber Service Center in Dalton, Georgia — a facility with a specialized color development team to serve the floor coverings industry.

We pride ourselves on being not only a scientifically advanced company but a home for some of the most brilliant minds in materials design who love their work. This combination of talent and technology has gotten us listed on Plastics News’ “Best Places to Work” in 2014 and 2016.

Building off this growth, we expanded on our thought leadership in the business. Most notably, we’ve launched key conferences and events like Fibertech, a conference that brings together industry leaders to share innovations and the latest developments in the field of fiber processing. Through these industry events, we’ve brought together major figures in polymers to discuss materials design trends and collaborate on the next generation of solutions.

Suite of Products 

Our line-up of colors and additives are an integral part of everyday consumer products as well as the products that deliver essential goods and services. Chief among these compounds is our suite of branded products: Techflow, Techsplatter, Techsperse and Techsurf, a specialized arsenal of polymer additives that provide advanced protection and effects.

Expanding our product line, we entered the engineering plastics market in 2004 by acquiring a range of DSM compounds including the Electrafil® and Plaslube® lines. This allowed us to expand our Tennessee site with a new production unit where we created a hub for these specialized solutions.

Our Name

To understand Techmer PM’s history and name is to understand what we have sought to accomplish for more than 30 years. “Techmer” is — like the offerings on our roster — a hybrid, combining the words “technical” and “polymer,” exemplifying our expertise and commitment to our craft.

PM reflects our pride in our polymer modifiers and references our innovative philosophy and focus on challenging and elevating the status quo. Our name is a message to brands that we are a force of positive action, deeply invested in the quality delivery of your next great product.

Read our timeline for more information about the people, partnerships, acquisitions, product introductions and other events and milestones that have shaped Techmer PM into an industry leader.