As we look back on the last 30 years, we celebrate the success of Static Control. To us, success isn’t one-dimensional or measured solely by financial growth. Rather, we define our successes by the decades we’ve been in business, the number of products we’ve manufactured and put on the market, the leadership strides we’ve made in our industry and the number of jobs we’ve created in communities throughout the world. Most importantly, we measure our success by our unwavering commitment to providing our clients with high quality products and services year after year, decade after decade.

From humble beginnings

The Static Control story began in 1987, when Ed Swartz and his son Michael began working out of their family basement, buying and reselling static-shielding bags for static-sensitive products. It wasn’t long until they began manufacturing the bags themselves. When a customer requested static-shielding bags for laser printer cartridges, they entered the printer industry and transformed it forever.

Today, Static Control’s imaging components are present in nearly every ink jet cartridge in the world, enabling better printing experiences for our customers and their customers.

To a global operation

Ed’s two sons, Michael and Bill, continue to hold Static Control to the highest standard, asserting the company as the world’s leading manufacturer of toner cartridges.

"We made this company successful because through an insistence on measured processes, unparalleled testing and quality control, and a relentless pursuit of excellence in products," says Bill Swartz. 

As of this year, we’ve expanded our operations to serve customers in more than 150 countries, employing more than 1,000 people globally. Over the past three decades, we’ve continually kept our promise to provide a high caliber of products to the aftermarket. We’ve released over 24,000 unique products since our founding, all while providing award-winning support to our customers.

Thanks to a strong and committed global team comprised of R&D, engineering, manufacturing, logistics and business operational experts, Static Control has been recognized around the globe for dedication to innovation, supply and customer service excellence.

"We’ve had many milestones worth celebrating, and 30 years in business is a significant one. We have grown exponentially within the last three decades, and we have no intention to stop working hard for our customers in the next thirty," says Michael Swartz.

Static Control milestones at a glance:

• 1987: Static Control is founded by Ed Swartz and his son Michael.

• 1997: Static Control surpasses $100M in revenue. Offices are located in Europe and North America, with manufacturing operations including toner packaging, injection molding and imaging.

• 1998: The first patent is filed, and Static Control employees number 1,000.

• 2000: The Smartek replacement microchip for a laser cartridge is launched; microchip development and manufacturing becomes a major operation in Sanford, NC.

• 2006: Manufacturing space numbers more than 1M square feet.

• 2011: Static Control releases replacement chips for Lexmark T650 cartridges, making a huge advancement in chip development for highly encrypted chips.

• 2014: The 100th Static Control patent issued; Static Control is operating in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia, and has added toner manufacturing operations.

• 2015: Static Control completes a strategic merger with Apex for R&D and manufacturing excellence, and releases a first-to-market replacement imaging solution for HP^® JetIntelligence line of printers.

• 2017: Static Control celebrates 30 years in business, 188 patents, and 23 offices.

See the full history of industry innovations, company milestones and special recognitions.

Whether you’ve been a customer for decades or you’re learning about us for the first time, Static Control is the industry’s trusted cartridge supplier you can depend on. If you’re ready to expand your product offering with Static Control, let us know.