Solar Atmospheres 1969 Building

Corporate History

of Solar Atmospheres

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Corporate History

Roger-Myrt-Bill-Jones1983 – 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

2007Solar 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

2016Solar 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

2017Solar Atmospheres of California expands facility with a 25,000 square foot addition – doubling its size and adding four additional vacuum furnaces

2018Solar Atmospheres of Western PA adds tensile testing services

2022Solar Atmospheres of Western PA adds Vacuum Oil Quench services

2022 – Solar Atmospheres acquires Vac-Met, Inc. in Warren, Michigan

2024Solar Atmospheres of Michigan moves to Chesterfield, MI

2024 – Solar Atmospheres acquires Certified Metal Craft, Inc. in El Cajon, California