CALL: 1-855-WE-HEAT-IT
About | History | Corporate Leadership | Testimonials | Careers
Corporate History
1983 – Solar Atmospheres was founded by our Chief Executive Officer, William R. Jones
1992 – Major expansion moving into a new 24,000 square foot building built specifically for vacuum heat treating and brazing
1998 – Established another 10,000 square foot plant in Hatfield, Pa devoted primarily to brazing and ion-nitriding
2001 – Opened a new facility, Solar Atmospheres of Western PA in Hermitage, Pennsylvania dedicated to large vacuum furnace processing – primarily for aerospace, titanium and electrical power generation components
2002 – Mr. Jones founded sister company, Solar Manufacturing, a producer of top of the line vacuum furnaces, designed to be the most energy efficient, cost effective, high performing, and technically advanced systems on the market
2002 – Acquired Magnetic Specialties company, a manufacturer of custom power supplies and transformers
2006 – Solar Atmospheres of Western PA installed its 2nd and 3rd 24 foot car bottom furnaces
2007 – Solar Atmospheres in Souderton, PA and Solar Manufacturing co-operated to design and install an advanced vacuum carburizing furnace which has since proven to provide the most excellent and repeatable carburizing results
2008 – Solar Atmospheres in Souderton, PA and Solar Manufacturing worked together to design and install a new vacuum gas nitriding furnace – this furnace fulfilled the design objectives and has shown results capable of reducing cycle times by more than 50% when compared to other nitriding equipment
2009 – In order to serve the growing aerospace market, Solar Atmospheres of Western PA increased its plant capacity to 70,000 square feet by adding an additional 20,000 square foot building to house a new 36 foot long car bottom furnace with load capacity of 150,000 pounds – this furnace is considered to be the world’s largest commercial vacuum furnace
2011 – Opened a 25,000 square foot plant in Fontana, California, Solar Atmospheres of California, to bring a “Green Field” vacuum heat treating, vacuum brazing and vacuum carburizing facility to the West Coast, focusing on aerospace, titanium and super alloys
2015 – In May 2015, opened a 57,000 square foot facility, Solar Atmospheres Southeast, in Greenville, SC, focusing on the expanding aerospace development in the Southeast US
2016 – Solar Atmospheres of Western PA adds 18,000 square foot building to house the world’s largest commercial vacuum furnace – 48 foot long, 150,000 pound capacity
2017 – Solar Atmospheres of California expands facility with a 25,000 square foot addition – doubling its size and adding four additional vacuum furnaces
2018 – Solar Atmospheres of Western PA adds tensile testing services
2022 – Solar Atmospheres of Western PA adds Vacuum Oil Quench services
2022 – Solar Atmospheres acquires Vac-Met, Inc. in Warren, Michigan
