An industry leader for over 55 years, Southwest Plastics Company specializes in a custom molding of plastic and rubber parts. Over the years we have evolved and changed with the industry while maintaining the traditional family values and work ethic that make us a success. Using the latest technologies and techniques our reputation for precision molding quality service and value are well-known throughout the many industries we serve.
Growing up in a family business, Rob had many opportunities to spend after school hours and summers working in the shop gaining an appreciation for manufacturing processes. After graduating high school, he attended California Maritime Academy where he got his bachelor’s degree in Marine Transportation and Logistics. From there Rob went to work as a Navigator and Loading Officer on Supply Ships which supplied the US NAVY with provisions, fuel and ordnance. While working in this capacity, Rob traveled the globe and spent a lot of time in the Far East and Middle East gaining appreciation for other cultures. After a number of years working overseas, Rob got a stateside maritime job as a Dynamic Positioning Officer in the Gulf of Mexico on Subsea Construction ships which laid and repaired underwater oil pipelines. After spending nearly 10 years in the Maritime Industry, Rob felt it was time for a career change and came to work for Southwest Plastics in 2016 and earned his MBA from the University of Redlands in 2017. Rob brings a unique perspective to the company, has a can-do attitude and will do whatever it takes to get the job done.
After graduating from USC with a degree in Business Administration in 1972, Tom began his career in the banking industry. In his job as a lending officer for small to medium sized companies, he became acquainted with and interested in numerous enterprises and their owners. After several years in banking, Tom got the opportunity to go to work for a family owned manufacturing company in Glendora that had a small, neglected plastic molding operation in the back of the building: Southwest Plastics Co. It became Tom’s responsibility to either rejuvenate or scrap it out. By providing high quality and excellent customer service the company was able to grow and thrive over the ensuing decades. Tom is still very much involved with the company, but has turned over the day to day operational responsibilities to the very able staff at Southwest headed by his son, Rob Jorgensen.
Daniel Diaz has been the Quality Manager at Southwest Plastics since September 2000. He began his career in the Air Force as an Airframe Repair Specialist and was fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to cross-train over to flight crew status as a C-141 Flight Engineer. During this time, with aviation being one of his major interests, Dan also obtained his private pilot’s license at an early age. After 10 years, he left the Air Force Reserves and began his career as a Quality Assurance Inspector. While at Southwest Plastics, he was involved with the implementation of the ISO 9001 Quality System. He further went on to upgrade Southwest Plastics to the Aerospace AS9100 Quality System.
Rory Werkmeister started with Southwest Plastics in 2019. After completing his bachelor’s in Business Administration - Accounting from Cal Poly Pomona. He started his career in production management and customer service at a custom cabinet shop then moved to the transportation industry. After six years as a dispatch and driver manager of a mid-sized carrier in Southern California he made another career change back into manufacturing at Southwest Plastics. His goal is to bring new energy and insight into Southwest’s process efficiencies and further achieve superior customer satisfaction while learning the unique challenges of the plastics industry.