Gimli tough: Johnson Lane metal shop expands

The old maxim that crisis breeds innovation has been proved true by a Johnson Lane metal fabrication shop.

When the recession decimated residential construction in Northern Nevada, Lisa Hoyt-Valdez, owner of Gimli Ironworks, and her husband, fabricator James Valdez, went searching for other industries that could use their services.

"We went out and looked for work, and if they wouldn't come to us, we beat them into submission," Hoyt-Valdez said. "I've always believed that when opportunity knocks, you open the door and pull him in by the arm."

Now, the couple has found enough business to expand their operation. Gimli Ironworks is moving a few doors down from its current location in the Carson Valley Business Park, more than doubling the space of their headquarters, from 2,300 square feet to 5,600 square feet.

"We've been watching the leasing units that haven't been leasing; the prices have been coming down," said Hoyt-Valdez. "We had just paid off the forklift, so we had some extra money. We approached our landlord and said we needed to grow and rent a double unit, and we made one heck of a deal."

The question remains what exactly Gimli Ironworks did to survive.

"We had to think outside the proverbial box," Hoyt-Valdez said. "Instead of sitting around crying how times are tough, we looked at other avenues. We found state and federal work. We got a contract for three fuel-tanker trailers for the U.S. Air Force. We're building them from the ground up. They're specialized off-road trailers that can handle extreme conditions. One's staying in Nevada where it's going to bake, one's going to Idaho where it's freezing, and the other's going to Georgia where it's humid."

Hoyt-Valdez said their work with trailers actually began with another customer.

"We have a heavy-lift helicopter customer who hauls helicopters to remote locations," she said. "That's where we got the experience with off-road trailers and airbags to support weight."

She hopes the niche market will take Gimli to the next level.

"We're thinking about expanding trailer repair in the Valley, not only welding, but replacing brakes and wiring," she said "We have someone coming on board with a lot of wiring and mechanical experience."

Hoyt-Valdez said the key to survival was figuring out what people still needed.

"There's a niche for trailer repair. There's a need for designing customized trailers. We're seeing that need and keeping ourselves busy, and we're not sitting around whining about work," she said.

Gimli is also producing metal yard art, as well as other custom projects. But even with an innovative and tenacious spirit, Hoyt-Valdez said the company would not be where it is today without its half-dozen or so employees.

"We strongly believe in surrounding ourselves with good people, and we have a wonderful employee team, just wonderful and hard-working," she said.

With the expansion, the company is adding one more employee to that team.

"The guys are thrilled to be moving into a bigger area," Hoyt-Valdez said. "But, while we're trying to move, we don't want to disrupt operations. We have a deadline for the trailers and other jobs, and we got to move quick and be done with it."

Gimli Ironworks' new location is 2516 Business Parkway, Suite D. Call 267-5829 for more information.