About Vaga
A passion for being the best, a legacy of being first.
Our Values
- Flexible
- Reliable
- Self-Motivated
- Strive for Excellence
- Team Player
When you think of California in the 1960’s, you probably don’t think of precision manufacturing. But it was the rebel spirit of the times that inspired our founder to quit his job and go to work in a dusty garage, photo etching the undersides of jet wings for the Air Force.
Years later, Colleen took over the business, making her mark as one of the first female CEOs in the manufacturing industry and as a leader in PCMI. Today, we’re still a family business. And the entrepreneurial get-it-done spirit is still part of our DNA.
We take pride in providing the type of personal, hands-on customer service that larger companies can’t. Every piece we produce is 100% tailored to your needs. Using your designs and our expertise, we deliver perfectly repeatable parts in turnaround times that fit your schedule, at prices that fit your budget.
1966
Ron starts Vaga, working nights and weekends, using his own patents as the basis for his designs.
1968
Ron’s designs are used as the basis for parts in the Apollo spacecraft. He leaves his job and devotes himself to Vaga full time.
1972
Vaga moves into its current office, a space that would be expanded multiple times as the business grew.
1980s
Vaga creates one-of-a-kind “exotic etchings,” including 3’ molybdenum laser cooling mirrors that shoot lasers to the moon, and titanium springs inside insulin pumps.
1981
Randy set up an Apple II computer and wrote the software used for production.
1987
Ron is elected President of the Southern California chapter of PCMI.
1990
Vaga designs are used in the creation of the Hubble Space Telescope, which NASA called “the most significant advance in astronomy since Galileo.”
1993
Vaga pioneered the use in the industry of accepting CAD files and turning them into physical production tools.
1996
Colleen steps into the CEO role, becoming one of the preeminent female leaders in the manufacturing industry.
1998
Vaga works with OEM to develop proprietary technology for power generation turbines.
2003
Vaga works with OEM to develop a part that powers pacemakers.
2009
Colleen elected first female president of the West Coast Spring Manufacturers Association (WCSMA).
2014
Vaga’s system achieves ISO 9001 and AS9100 certifications, the gold standard for quality in manufacturing.
2018
Jimmy and Jeff (3rd generation) take over leadership of Vaga.
2019
3kW fiber laser acquired to add mixed cutting methods to production.
We don’t just promise quality. We’re certified for it.
Our system is ISO 9001 and AS9100 certified.
When you pick Vaga, you can be confident our personal service comes with the highest professional standards.