Southwest Plastics – 55 Years Of Pride

April 28th, 2021

The Leading California Plastic Molding Company For Over 55 Years

For over 55 years, Southwest Plastics continues to be an industry leader specializing in custom molding plastic and rubber components. Tom Jorgensen, President of Southwest Plastics, has been with the company since its humble beginnings in the back of a sister company, Metrex Valve, warehouse.  

After graduating from USC with a degree in Business Administration in 1972, Tom began his career in the finance industry. As a lending officer, he became familiar with the world of small business and eventually began working for a family-owned manufacturing company in Glendora that had a small plastic molding operation with three employees: Southwest Plastics Co. That company was consolidated with the small operation in the backrooms of Metrex Valve and it became Tom’s responsibility to either rejuvenate or scrap it out.

Knowledge was gained from various sources, including industry meetings, but the gentleman who had originally founded Southwest Plastics before its acquisition stayed on for a year or two as a consultant as well. “Mr. Nelson,” explains Tom, “he was my springboard into the plastics industry. He was a wonderful guy.”

Through hard work and quality service, the company grew. Tom made a connection at Lockheed Aircraft in Burbank where one of the purchasing agents would send a lot of work over: “small things that other companies might find a pain to do, but we took them in and met his requirements.”

The company made several acquisitions over the years as it grew, the biggest one being a plant down in Montebello, purchased in 1985 which had about 20 employees. Then, the company operated down there for 5 or 6 years before moving to the Glendora location in 1990. This move was made in order to meet expanding production needs and to be more centrally located to better serve the community and customer base. By consistently 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 of about 30 at Southwest Plastics headed by his son, Rob Jorgensen.