LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — There's nothing like watching a project take shape, and nothing is as pliable and flexible as plastic, if you know what you're doing. 13 Action News Anchor Todd Quinones had the chance to visit a Nevada Built business, based on a gamble and the ability to bend plastic into functioning art.
VACUUM MOLD
"As we come up, we vacuum, create pressure and form to the mold," says Stefan Ennals, Co-Owner of Welch Plastics.
"That is like sci-fi," says Todd.
From forming a plastic face to laser etching out the logo for a news station that's an ace.
"I feel like I was just given an award," says Todd.
"You were," says Stefan.
ROLL THE DICE
Welch Plastics can just about do it all. If a client can think of it, Ina and her husband Stefan can probably make it. Like this custom drum used for raffles.
"Not to be corny, but you talk about a roll of the die and you guys buying this company six years ago or so is exactly that. You had no experience in this field," says Todd.
"No, no. My husband and I, we also brought in a partner of ours that I used to work with. All three of us were from the corporate world," says Ina Tio, Co-Owner of Welch Plastics.
GAMBLE PAYS OFF
The gamble is paying off. Some of their customers include Caesars, Morimoto, Costco and Intel.
"We also make four foot by eight-foot drums that are motorized. It has to be shipped in a custom crate on a flatbed truck," says Ina.
CUSTOM FABRICATION
The world of custom plastic fabrication involves making all kinds of signs, to one-of-a-kind displays.
"This was actually a lipstick display... because this is angled it actually illuminates the top but doesn't illuminate the body," says Ina.
Their shop on Desert Inn Road near Valley View Boulevard is filled with projects. Like this recent order. Dozens of oblong pieces of plastic will be used eventually with a conveyor belt to display items.
MAN MADE WORK
"What you're seeing here is part machine, part man-made. So obviously the machine parts that we spoke about. Then there's the manmade part where we're actually welding and each weld gets done by hand... It is very precise. We have to ensure that we don't get any air bubbles in here. So that we get that proper fusion taking place," says Stefan.
They can use heat to form colorful flowers. Or a large laser bed machine for detailed cutting and etching.
"Essentially what etching is, is taking a laser pulse and just scratching the surface of the acrylic very, very finitely to ensure that we get whatever the image is," says Stefan.
DIFFERENT & UNIQUE
So the next time you walk into a store or past a booth at a convention, understand that unique display may be Nevada Built. We will have to wait and see what Welch Plastics does next.
"We like a challenge. We like the fact that it's something different every day. That's really important for us," says Ina.
