When the QCM Company (which stands for Quality Controlled Manufacturing) was founded in the Seattle area in 1972, its main focus was the compression molding resins for the snowboard and ski industries of the Pacific Northwest. As that business began to succeed, QCM started manufacturing proprietary plastisol solutions to serve the airplane and shipbuilding industries that, at that time, made up a large part of the manufacturing base in the local area.

As some of these industries began to move offshore, QCM took its knowledge of plastisols in a different direction and began manufacturing plastisol inks to support one of the most recognizable products in the entire world - the screen-printed T-Shirt. These ink products were soon to become the main focus and for the past 37 years. QCM has worked on developing the most user friendly, environmentally conscious, top quality products available anywhere.

Roy Wheeldon, QCM’s chief chemist and later, President, led the technical direction of the company. Roy was an ardent environmentalist long before it became fashionable, and strongly believed in corporate and individual responsibility. Roy’s mission was not just to make the world’s best screen printing ink, but to make the world’s most environmentally friendly ink. Under his technical leadership, QCM quickly eliminated heavy metals, chlorinated organic solvents and other nasty chemicals from its chemistry.

Becoming aware of the “gender bending” dangers of Ortho-Phthalate plasticisers, Roy made it QCM’s mission to also eliminate these in all QCM Plastisol formulations. Roy succeeded. All QCM plastisol inks have now been "Phthalate free" for over 10 years. We understand the chemistry and, as a consequence, our Phthalate free inks work!

QCM's commitment is to direct the development of ink technology to even higher levels of renewable and recyclable capabilities. QCM is heavily involved in research that uses the most up-to-date bio-based plasticizer technology. QCM products contain no heavy metals, which are often associated with the printing ink industry. In addition, QCM plastisol inks are noted for the absence of Cadmium, Azo, Formaldehyde, Chromium, Lead, Tin, Nickel, Tri chlorophenols, Chlorinated organic solvents, Tetra chlorophenols, Penta chlorophenols and disperse dyes. From the very beginning, the QCM plastisol raw material selection has always avoided the use of heavy metals and solvents, earning a classification as 100% Non-Toxic.

With Distributors Worldwide, QCM is proud in the knowledge that its products meet or exceed all governmental or state agency rules or regulations concerning product safety and environmental standards. Located in one of the most naturally beautiful locations on Earth, the Pacific Northwest, QCM continues to take its environmental responsibilities seriously.

Sadly, Roy Wheeldon passed away in 2009, but his legacy lives on. Roy’s environmentalist vision has made QCM the world’s fastest growing ink company. Many in the textile printing industry are stunned to find that our "Phthalate free" inks actually work better than the conventional inks they had previously been using from our competitors.

QCM is now owned by Roy’s children and his business partner. Our mission continues to be to produce the very best environmentally friendly ink on the planet.

Finally, as a responsible green company, QCM donates a percentage of its annual profits to several environmental support groups.