Techmer PM

What Techmer PM does

Techmer PM is a private, U.S.-headquartered materials design company that develops and manufactures custom color masterbatches, high-performance additives, and engineered polymer compounds for plastics processors, fabricators, and brand owners across North America. Founded in 1981 in Los Angeles and now headquartered in Clinton, Tennessee, the company operates six manufacturing sites in the United States and Mexico under a single ISO 9001:2015 quality management system, supplemented by ISO 13485 (medical), ISO/TS16949 (automotive), and A2LA/ISO 17025 laboratory accreditations. Its technical platform centers on proprietary formulation methodology and the Techsperse™ dispersion technology, supported by a portfolio of registered product brands including Electrafil®, HiFill®, HiFill FR®, Plaslube®, Techsurf®, Techflow®, and the HiTerra® sustainability line. The company has built specialty IP through acquisitions of legacy assets from DSM Engineering Plastics (Electrafil®, Plaslube®) and BASF (Techsurf®), and pursues co-development partnerships (NanoXplore, Purdue CAMS Consortium, Premix, PureCycle) to extend into graphene-enhanced films, additive manufacturing tooling, non-PFAS materials, and circular polyolefins.

The business model is custom-quote, project-based B2B specialty chemicals: customers engage Techmer PM's field sales engineers and technical service teams to co-develop formulations, which are produced in small to mid-volume batches across the six plants and shipped direct or via the Formerra distribution partnership (U.S., Canada, Mexico) added in December 2025. Revenue is generated from one-time sales of color masterbatches, engineered compounds, additives, and liquid color, augmented by professional services revenue from design sessions, CoLab collaboration, and the TechmerVision digital color-development tool. The company is majority-owned by Gryphon Investors (since September 2022), with SK Capital and management retaining minority stakes. Recent M&A activity — Advanced Color Technologies (2023), OptiColor (2024), and Colors for Plastics (2025) — has accelerated capability and footprint expansion, and a December 2025 CEO transition to Craig Foster signals continued professionalization ahead of a likely sponsor exit.

Name

Techmer PM

Legal name

Techmer PM, LLC

Website

https://techmerpm.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Techmer PM is a U.S.-based specialty compounder that designs and manufactures custom color masterbatches, high-performance additives, and engineered polymer compounds for plastics processors and brand owners across medical, automotive, packaging, and industrial markets, operating six North American production sites under one ISO-certified quality system.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Polymer Masterbatches and Engineered Compounds

NAICS

Custom Compounding of Purchased Resins (325991), Synthetic Dye and Pigment Manufacturing (32513)

SIC

Plastic Material, Synth Resin/Rubber, Cellulos (No Glass) (2820), Miscellaneous Chemical Products (2890)

akta.pro primary industry

Masterbatch Manufacturing (Color, Additive, White/Black) (IMANABAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Color Masterbatches & Dispersions (IMAEAHAK), Fiber- & Mineral-Filled Reinforced Compounds (Glass/Carbon/Talc/CaCO3) (IMANABAI), Polymer Compounds & Masterbatches (Compounding, Color/Fill/Additive Concentrates) (IMAEANAJ)

Keywords

• Color masterbatches
• Polymer additives
• Engineered compounds
• Materials design
• Plastic colorants

Headquarters

HQ city

Rancho Dominguez

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Custom Color Masterbatches: Value-added color and additive masterbatch for plastics and fiber industries. Custom formulations tailored to customer specifications for color, appearance, and functional enhancements.
2. Engineered Compounds: Specialty engineering plastics compounds including Electrafil®, HiFill®, Plaslube®, and HiFill FR® product lines for high-performance applications.
3. Advanced Additives: High-performance additives for flame retardancy, UV stabilization, processing aids, and other functional enhancements.
4. Liquid Color: Liquid color concentrates for precise coloring applications in plastics processing.
5. Custom Design Services: Design sessions, CoLab collaboration center, and technical support services including problem-solving tools like TechmerVision and Data Sheet Search.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Techmer PM designs and manufactures custom color masterbatches, high-performance polymer additives, and pre-colored engineered compounds for the plastics and synthetic fiber industries. The company sells standalone branded compound lines (Electrafil®, HiFill®, HiFill FR®, Plaslube®), liquid color systems, specialty additives (Techflow, Techsperse, Techsurf, Techsplatter), and custom color development services to plastics processors, fabricators, designers, and brand owners across North America. Operations span six manufacturing sites with ISO 9001, ISO 13485, ISO/TS16949, and A2LA certifications and an in-house analytical laboratory.

Product overview

Techmer PM is a materials design company offering a comprehensive portfolio of polymer modification products and services. The core offering consists of color masterbatches, high-performance additives, and pre-colored compounds for the plastics and fiber industries. The product portfolio includes branded engineered compound lines: Electrafil® (engineering plastics), HiFill® (glass/mineral-filled compounds), HiFill FR® (flame-retardant variants), and Plaslube® (self-lubricating compounds). Supporting these are proprietary additive technologies including Techflow (flow line reduction), Techsperse (dispersion technology), Techsurf (surface effects), and Techsplatter (surface coatings). The company also offers liquid color, acquired brands OptiColor (color concentrates), and custom color development services. Customer-facing tools include TechmerVision (interactive color design), TechmerDirect (order management portal), Problem Solver Tool, and Data Sheet Search. The CoLab collaboration center and Fibertech Connect design sessions provide technical support and innovation partnership services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Techsurf: Specialized polymer additive for surface properties
• Techflow
• Techsperse
• Techsplatter
• HiFill
• HiFill FR
• Electrafil
• Plaslube
• Techmer ES
• Techmer Engineered Solutions
• OptiColor
• HiTerra
• EvacuTech
• Fibertech Connect
• CoLab
• TechmerVision
• TechmerDirect
• Fibertech
• SHYFT Design + Innovation
• Polytest

Products and services

• Color Masterbatches Custom color concentrates and masterbatches providing precise coloration for plastics and fiber processors across injection molding, blow molding, extrusion, film, and fiber processes.
• Advanced Additives High-performance additive systems providing flame retardancy, UV stabilization, antioxidant protection, processing aids, and functional enhancements for polymer applications.
• Pre-Colored Compounds Pre-compounded polymers with integrated color and additive packages enabling ready-to-use processing for plastics manufacturers.
• Electrafil® Engineering plastic compounds, originally acquired from DSM, providing enhanced mechanical and thermal properties for demanding fiber-reinforcement applications.
• HiFill® Glass-filled and mineral-filled engineered compounds providing stiffness, strength, and dimensional stability for injection molding and extrusion applications.
• HiFill FR® Flame-retardant glass-filled compounds meeting UL 94 ratings for electrical, automotive, and aerospace applications.
• Plaslube® Self-lubricating engineering compounds with embedded lubricating properties for reduced friction and wear in moving parts.
• Liquid Color Liquid colorants for precise coloring of polymers during processing, offering flexibility for in-plant mixing applications.
• OptiColor Color Concentrates and Masterbatches Color concentrates and masterbatches for critical applications, expanded through the October 2024 acquisition of OptiColor, Inc.
• HiFill® GF-PET Material System Glass-filled polyethylene terephthalate material system engineered for 3D printing intermediate-temperature autoclave tooling used in aerospace composite part production.
• GrapheneBlack xGnP™ Masterbatch Graphene-enhanced masterbatch for high-performance plastic film applications combining NanoXplore graphene technology with Techmer PM's proprietary dispersion technology.
• Techflow Purging Compound Purging compound that reduces flow lines in blow molding applications, improving surface quality and consistency.
• Techsurf Polymer Additive Specialized polymer additive acquired from BASF providing surface effects and protection for polymer applications.
• Techsplatter Polymer Additive Polymer additive providing advanced protection and visual/functional surface effects for polymer parts.
• Custom Colors Color Development Custom color development service creating precise color formulations tailored to specific brand and application requirements for plastics processors and brand owners.
• Small Lot Center Service providing smaller quantity orders for customers requiring limited volumes of specialized masterbatches and compounds.
• CoLab Collaboration Center Premier polymer materials collaboration center in Dalton, Georgia offering collaborative workspace, state-of-the-art technology, one-of-a-kind pilot plant capability, and expert support for customer innovation projects.
• Fibertech Connect Design Sessions Customized one-on-one design sessions held at the CoLab in Dalton, Georgia, focusing on speed-to-market through co-design processes leveraging TechmerVision design tools.

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 70% improvement in mechanical strength with GrapheneBlack xGnP™ Masterbatch
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments9 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature12 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NanoXplore Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 June 2026Strategic co-development partnership for GrapheneBlack xGnP™ Masterbatch combining NanoXplore's proprietary xGnP™ graphene technology with Techmer PM's Techsperse™ dispersion technology. Joint product demonstrated 70%+ improvement in mechanical strength for high-performance plastic films. Companies filed provisional patent in May 2026 and unveiled at AMI Flexible Packaging Conference June 2026.
• FormerracoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 9 December 2025Distribution partnership expanding Techmer PM's market reach across North America. Formerra distributes color masterbatches, high-performance additives, and pre-colored compounds across U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Combines Techmer PM's specialized materials expertise with Formerra's technical support and supply chain network to help customers accelerate product launches.
• Purdue University CAMS ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 July 2024Techmer PM became first materials supplier to join Purdue University's CAMS Consortium in July 2024. Partnership combines materials chemistry expertise with physics-based simulation to advance large-scale additive manufacturing for aerospace applications. Techmer PM provides materials for Purdue's ADDITIVE3D virtual twin simulation software for tool shape compensation.
• PureCycle TechnologiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing collaboration on circular polypropylene solutions supporting sustainable materials innovation and circular economy goals.
• Premix GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on non-PFAS materials for precision labware applications, advancing sustainable alternatives to traditional fluorochemicals.
• Thermwood Corp.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on large-format additive manufacturing (LFAM) for aerospace tooling. Partnership with Purdue and Techmer PM successfully 3D-printed 300-lb autoclave mold for NASA's X-59 experimental supersonic aircraft using polyethersulfone resin.
• CupronminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership established in 2021 for specialized materials development.
• Plastix GlobalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership established in 2018 for sustainable materials solutions in the plastic recycling value chain.
• Far East PlasticsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership established in 2003 to launch Chinese presence and serve Asian markets.
• Tokyo Printing Ink / Mitsui & Co.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEarly partnership established in 1985 with Tokyo Printing Ink and Mitsui & Co. of Japan, which inspired creation of major production facility in Clinton, Tennessee.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• RTP Company: RTP Company specializes in custom-engineered thermoplastic compounds including fiber-reinforced, lubricated, and flame-retardant compounds—directly comparable to Techmer PM's Electrafil®, HiFill®, and Plaslube® lines. Both companies emphasize custom compounding for demanding applications in medical, automotive, and industrial markets.
• Ampacet Corporation: Ampacet is a leading global manufacturer of color and additive masterbatches for plastics, with a comparable product mix to Techmer PM's masterbatch franchise. Both serve plastics processors across flexible packaging, injection molding, extrusion, and fiber applications, and compete on dispersion technology and custom formulation capability.
• Hubron International: Hubron is a masterbatch manufacturer specializing in black and color masterbatches for plastics and rubber applications. It is a comparable niche competitor to Techmer PM in custom color concentrates, particularly for industrial and specialty plastics processors.
• Tosaf: Tosaf is an Israel-headquartered masterbatch and additive manufacturer serving plastics processors globally. It offers color, white, black, and additive masterbatches comparable to Techmer PM's portfolio, with similar focus on custom formulations and sustainability-driven products like NIR-detectable black.
• Gabriel-Chemie: Gabriel-Chemie is a European-based masterbatch manufacturer with growing North American presence, offering color and additive masterbatches for plastics processing. Its product mix and customer segments (packaging, automotive, consumer goods) overlap directly with Techmer PM's core offerings.
• Avient Corporation: Avient (formerly PolyOne) is one of the largest global specialty polymer materials companies, with color masterbatch, engineered materials, and additive solutions that directly overlap Techmer PM's portfolio. It is the most direct and largest competitor in color masterbatches and engineered compounds serving similar end markets including automotive, healthcare, and packaging.
• Americhem: Americhem is a custom color masterbatch and engineered compounds producer with a comparable North American manufacturing footprint and similar customer base in fibers, packaging, and durable goods. It competes with Techmer PM in custom color concentrates and performance additives, particularly in the synthetic fiber segment.
• Penn Color: Penn Color is a specialty formulator of color masterbatches and pigment dispersions serving plastics, coatings, and inks. It directly overlaps with Techmer PM's color masterbatch offerings and NIR-sortable colorant initiatives, competing for the same brand-owner and converter customers.

Broad incumbents

• Clariant: Clariant is a large global specialty chemicals company whose Pigments division historically included masterbatch-like offerings; it competes broadly in colorants and additives for plastics. As a much larger diversified specialty chemicals player, it is an incumbent competing in overlapping product lines rather than a focused masterbatch specialist.
• LyondellBasell (A. Schulman): LyondellBasell acquired A. Schulman in 2018, creating a large-scale polymer and engineered composites business including compounding and masterbatch capabilities. As a petrochemical-major with integrated compounding, it competes with Techmer PM on scale and raw material access across similar end-use applications.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/techmerpm
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/techmer-pm

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A3 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Techmer PM