On March 30, 1937, forty-four members of the grey iron industry met in Los Angeles to determine the feasibility of forming either a local foundrymen's club or attempting to establish a chapter of the American Foundrymen's Association (later called the American Foundry Society AFS).

A formal meeting was held April 21, 1937 at the Clark Hotel in Los Angeles between Robert Gregg (Gregg Industries, El Monte) and AFA Director Charles Hoehn (Enterprise Foundry Company, San Francisco) to formally install a new chapter in Southern California.

The national headquarters of the American Foundry Society (AFS) is currently in Schaumburg, Illinois. The AFS Southern California Chapter has been holding meetings, conferences, technical sessions and social events for over 70 years in California. The Chapter is woven into the fabric of California's foundry industry and remains an active part of the metal casting community.