Ff Journal.Net Ff Journal M

Fabricator Profile

Hard day's night

Atlantis Waterjet works around the clock to meet customer

demands

By Lisa Rummler

Article Utilities

Talk Print Email

SourcesAtlantis Waterjet

Services LLCCartersville, Ga.phone: 770/974-3558fax: 770/974-3568www.atlantiswaterjet.come-mail:[email protected]

Most ViewedTube & Pipe Large steelpylons make Chicago bridgefabrication a challenge clickhere

Waterjet How Dr. MohamedHashish made history with theabrasive waterjet click here

Interact » | Log In | Register Monday, May 18, 2009

FFJournal.net - FFJournal Magazine http://www.ffjournal.net/common/articlesearchdetail.asp?currentpage=7975

1 of 4 5/18/2009 7:11 PM

When Edgar Hernandez's parents emigrated from Cuba in the early 1950s, theyprobably never dreamed their son would be on television. But last year,Hernandez and his company, Atlantis Waterjet Services LLC, Cartersville, Ga.,were featured on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition".

The show's carpenter went to the custom waterjet job shop to make a sign thatsaid "Slow Down" for the woman whose house was being renovated.

"It was a huge part of the show," says Hernandez. "The mother said that thehouse was beautiful but that sign was all she really cared about."

The sign was made of steel, but Hernandez says the company's 12-ft.-by-6-ft.waterjet with dual cutting heads can handle myriad materials, including stainlesssteel, aluminum, plastic and glass, up to about 8 in. thick.

Hernandez and his wife, Julie, are co-owners of the company, which also offersCNC machining and turning services. Atlantis Waterjet serves a variety ofindustries, such as aerospace, architectural, automotive, marine, and militaryand defense.

"That's what attracted me to opening a waterjet cutting business--there'snothing typical about it," says Hernandez. "It's as diverse as you can get. Wecan start in the morning, cutting marble tiles for an elaborate floor inlay project,and finish the day by cutting 2-in.-thick bulletproof glass for Humvees."

Out of the garden, into the arenaOther projects that stand out over the company's nearly four-year history includecopper leaves for a 16-ft. faux bamboo tree a local artist made for a resort. "Weactually scanned real bamboo leaves and drew them on our CAD system, thenjust nested them up on a sheet and started cutting," says Hernandez. "We cutmore than 2,000 different-shaped leaves that he assembled and put on this fakebamboo tree."

Another unique project for Atlantis Waterjet involved a customer who had addeda basketball gymnasium to his house.

"We cut 2-ft.-tall letters out of 4.5-in.-thick limestone," says Hernandez. "Theword 'Colosseum' was mounted above the grand entrance to this basketballgymnasium, and it was literally 4.5-in.-thick, 2-ft.-tall letters that spelled theword."

Other jobs at Atlantis Waterjet come from OEMs, fabricators, laser shops,machine shops, contractors and many others, according to Hernandez. "There arepeople who stop by and say, 'I need this pipe cut in half,' or oddball things," hesays. "We also get a lot of walk-ins sometimes [who say], 'I heard there was awaterjet in town. Can you do this?'"

Putting in the timeHernandez says he and his employees are willing to do whatever they can toaccommodate these kinds of requests, as well as any other order that comestheir way.

"We have a great team that's willing to do whatever it takes to get the jobdone--and get it done right," he says. "We've put in several all-nighters becausea customer was in a pinch."

Hernandez says this dedication has helped cement Atlantis Waterjet's reputationfor a high level of customer service, and it has been a boon in other ways. "I

International ReportHow some leading companiesare capitalizing on today'semerging markets click here

Automotive Heavy brakedrum castins createopportunity for unique materialhandling system click here

What Else is HotVideos

Literature

Top Products

Website Showcases

Events

White Papers


2 of 4 5/18/2009 7:11 PM

think we've actually gotten jobs because customers couldn't wait for the guy whosaid, 'Sorry, I've got a three-week backlog,'" he says. "We may too, but if thisguy's in a pinch and we have the capability to do it, we'll work late. Sometimes,we've had weeks where we had a to run like we're a two-shift company, butreally we're operating one really long shift and taking turns sleeping in theconference room."

Past to futureHernandez says that in the next five years, his vision is to expand thearchitectural side of the business, which he describes as his passion.

"We cut a lot of industrial components, but what I really enjoy is thearchitectural side of the business: decorative floor medallions, company logos,architectural signage and decorative wall panels," he says. "A designer's clientmight see something in a magazine or sketch something on a napkin, and ourCNC process can duplicate it out of a variety of materials, depending on theproject's budget. That's exciting."

This enthusiasm partially stems from Hernandez's decade in sales at a largemetal fabrication equipment distributor.

"About halfway into my career, they added another line of equipment that I hadnever really heard of: waterjets," says Hernandez. "I thought, 'Wow, that's aneat machine,' and I had an instant passion for it and what it could do,especially in the decorative architectural industry. So I got a business plantogether and decided to go ahead and do it. It's been a great experience." FFJ

You are not signed in. You must LOGIN OR REGISTER to submit comments.

MAGAZINE MEDIA KIT SUBSCRIPTION SUSCRIPCIÓN TERMS OF SERVICE PRIVACY CONTACT


3 of 4 5/18/2009 7:11 PM

Turn-key Web & Database Solutions for FFJournal.net Provided By Learn More »


4 of 4 5/18/2009 7:11 PM

Documents

Ff Journal.Net Ff Journal M