Tri-J Metal Heat Treating Company traces its roots back to 1942 when its predecessor Standard Heat Treating Company opened its doors in a 7500 square foot facility in the City of Vernon, County of Los Angeles.

With the war just starting, there was a growing need for screws, bolts and nuts that were widely used in war industry. The company quickly engineered its production capacity accordingly and soon established a strong reputation for high quality work and exceptional quick turn around, two critical requirements from high volume fastener manufactures.

Much of the success of this young company can be attributed to one of its newest employee's back then. Albert James, a German immigrant, was hired in early 1943 and rose quickly from a furnace operator to general manager. It was at this time he began to influence the company to focus on heat treating parts with small size but with large volume, using very cost efficient custom made furnaces and a rigid quality inspection process to ensure the maximum satisfaction of defense parts OEMs.

Through a successful management buy-out plan, Albert eventually acquired Standard Heat Treating in 1976. The company was then renamed to Tri-J Metal Heat Treating Company, in order to recognize the three James that were then the primary stock holders and key managers, namely Albert James Sr. and his two sons Albert Jr. and Robert James.

After Albert Sr.'s untimely death in 1979, his two sons, Al and Bob, took over the leadership. Under the second generation, the company continued to expand by investing in new furnaces and automated production line.

To accommodate fast growing manufacturing industry in the Inland Empire, which contains four of the top ten fastest growing regions on the United States, the company built a second plant in the city of Pomona in 1989 and moved its headquarters to Pomona. The Pomona plant has the capacity 4 times bigger than that of the Vernon plant and all major furnaces are equipped with advanced digital pyrometry instruments.