Solar Atmospheres, a leading commercial heat treating company, is establishing its more than $15 million Southeastern operations center in Greenville County, South Carolina, to better serve customers in the automotive and aerospace-rich region.

The newest division of Solar Atmospheres will be operating out of 54,000 square feet of manufacturing space at 108 Progressive Court. The facility is located on a 14-acre site south of Greenville near the intersection of I-85 and I-185, which is within a one-day trip from most industrial centers in the Southeast.

"This is a major expansion for our companies with an investment in excess of $15 million including building, property, new vacuum furnaces, and a facility-wide closed-loop water cooling system to ensure continuous uptime for our customers,” said Roger Jones, Corporate President of Solar Atmospheres.

"Greenville was selected because of its logistical convenience to current and prospective customers and the favorable business climate in South Carolina and especially in the Greenville area,” Steve Prout, President of Solar Atmospheres Southeast explained.

According to the South Carolina Department of Commerce, vacuum furnaces and support equipment are currently being scheduled for installation and startup. Furnace sizes will range from vacuum furnaces capable of supporting small production lots and development work to a 24-foot car bottom furnace for processing large, heavy loads. Process capabilities will range from standard vacuum heat treating to vacuum carburizing, vacuum annealing, vacuum stress relieving, vacuum brazing, and other specialized vacuum thermal processes as well as research and development activity.

Company representatives expect the Greenville facility to open by the end of the first quarter of 2015. The company operates three existing facilities in the United States: two in Pennsylvania and another in California.

"Companies that serve our growing automotive and aerospace sectors are quickly finding a home in South Carolina. What a testament to our business-friendly reputation that Solar Atmospheres will bring their first facility in the Southeastern United States to Greenville,” said Secretary of Commerce Bobby Hitt.

"Solar Atmospheres is an outstanding example of a company that is using world-class technology, unmatched technical expertise and performance-based processes to grow and succeed. Theirs is a technology-driven business with an entrepreneurial energy, and will be a great addition to Greenville County, " Richard Wilkerson, Chairman of the Greenville Area Development Corporation said.

"The Upstate region is primed to support innovation and growth among cutting-edge partners serving the automotive and aerospace industries. This area is home to a growing array of research-driven, technically advanced organizations whose expertise continues to fuel our regional economy. We welcome Solar Atmospheres to the Upstate,” noted John Lummus, President/CEO of the Upstate SC Alliance.