LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — In today's Nevada Built, we're introducing a small business with a strong future. This company is working with steel and iron, to fortify some one-of-a-kind work. Our anchor Todd Quinones is in east Las Vegas, for a behind the scenes look at Perfect Iron Works.
The man behind the mask using a searing hot welding torch to create a combination of security and beauty is Carlos Lainez. His journey from poverty in his native El Salvador to prosperity here, is a quintessential American story.
But you won't hear him tell it. For that we had to go to his wife, Aracely.
"We're trying to get Carlos on camera, but he's very camera shy," says Todd. "Yes, he is... That's how he is. But I can't say any more," says Aracely.
But thankfully Carlos is not shy when it comes to his craft.
He and his wife own Perfect Iron Works in east Las Vegas. For the past five years, together they've been fabricating everything from iron gates, fences and staircases, to patio covers.
"When I look at this, I see this almost ornate detail. It's beautiful. It's striking," says Todd. "Yes, yes. Like I said, everything has been here, custom made," says Aracely.
Customers of this Nevada Built company extend from Santa Barbara, California, across Nevada and into Arizona. But like so many business owners, Carlos and Aracely have been dealing with price increases.
"This is a square tubing right here. This could have been, back then, about $15 and right now, it's costing about $42 to $43," says Aracely.
"You're saying pricing wise, it all depends. But how much would something like this cost?" asks Todd.
"It can be a range from $1,000 up to $2,000. It all depends on the customer design that they want," says Aracely.
Inside their shop located near Charleston and Eastern, you won't find computers spitting out fancy designs.
Instead, things are done old school. The designs all come from Carlos, who draws them for customers freehand in a notebook.
"And he actually draws something for them and see if they, it's something that they actually like," says Aracely.
So even though Carlos is camera shy, fortunately his work speaks for itself.