Ketema was founded in 1953 on the current El Cajon, CA site and was known first as a partnership called California Aircraft Products. The company primarily was a machine and sheet metal fabrication shop that supported the local aircraft and marine industry. Over the next 50 years, the company grew in size and scope manufacturing components for aviation, space, marine and industrial customers while changing ownership and names several times.

In 1997, Senior plc purchased the company and renamed it Senior Flexonics (Senior plc. holding company), Ketema Division. In 2002 Senior plc reorganized its worldwide holdings into three manufacturing groups: Aerospace, Automotive and Flexonics. The company was placed under the Aerospace Group and became known as Senior Aerospace Ketema. In the same reorganization, Senior plc changed the American holding company to Senior Operations LLC. Senior plc now has two manufacturing groups, Aerospace and Flexonics. Ketema remains part of the Aerospace group.

Capo Industries
In 2013, Senior plc announced the consolidation of Senior Aerospace Capo Industries into the Ketema facility. The Capo facility was closed in 2014. Now both companies operate as a single entity at the El Cajon, CA location under the name of Senior Aerospace Ketema.