.jpg)
DEDICATED TO EXCELLENCE: SERVICE • QUALITY • INNOVATION
ESTABLISHED 1953
All Metals Fabricating offers a wide range of capabilities, from CNC machining to assembly, but the foundation of our business for more than 70 years has been sheet metal fabrication. At the heart of this is our metal forming department, one of the most critical parts of our entire operation.
Advanced equipment is important to our success, but an expert team makes the real difference. Lucky for us, our forming department is in excellent hands with lead operator Jairo Herrera.
Jairo has been in manufacturing for 30 years now, with the last 15 at All Metals. His career has included roles in grinding, press brakes, quality control, and more, giving him a broad base of knowledge. That versatility has made him, in All Metals CEO Lance Thrailkill’s words, a true “renaissance man.”
“Jairo and many of the people in his department are what old-school manufacturers called ‘mechanics,’” Lance says. “They completely understand bend deductions, they do their own setups. They could basically walk a job through the shop from start to finish. That skillset is rare today, but it’s incredibly valuable.”
Jairo started at All Metals in the sheet metal department, and through his skill and dedication, worked his way to the leadership role he has today.
Today, the forming department consists of five operators supported by an array of advanced machines. They handle a range of projects, from simple parts to high-complexity components, and Jairo admits he prefers the biggest challenges.
“The hardest parts are usually big ones with multiple different bends and angles, but those are the parts we enjoy the most,” Jairo says. “You’re solving problems, thinking through ideas, figuring out how to make it all work. Seeing the finished part is so rewarding.”
In fact, Lance views their ability to handle difficult jobs as a cornerstone of AMF’s success.
“Sometimes we get RFQs where I think ‘Man, I don’t know if we could bend it like that,’” Lance explains. “And I send it to Jairo to ask about it, and he just immediately says ‘Yeah, we can do that.’ Other shops might no-quote it, but his team loves those challenges.”
The payoff goes well beyond winning complex work. At All Metals, forming is at the center of everything.
“In our shop, the way parts are formed impacts nearly every other process,” Lance says. “Their accurate bends simplify entire projects.”
Among the standout equipment in the department is a state-of-the-art Trumpf TruBend Center 7030 panel bender for large parts, as well as our TruBend Robotic Bending Cell 7000 capable of 24/7 lights-out manufacturing. Jairo also mentioned the shop’s 7 Amada press brakes and other high-end equipment as enabling the team to handle complex, difficult parts.
“I’ve worked on a lot of other machines at other shops, and All Metals has the best,” he said. “We’ve got first-class machines here. It blows your mind how fast these machines work and how precise they are.”
Jairo didn’t begin his time at All Metals as a department leader, but his transition into management has been seamless, says plant manager Brian Hunt.
“Jairo mastered his craft early, and when we put him in leadership, he embraced it,” Brian explains. “Sometimes the best operator struggles to become a leader, but Jairo has grown into it. He’s talented himself, and he truly cares about his people. It’s a rare combination.”
Jairo’s approach to leadership is hands-on. He balances running machines himself with guiding his team, walking them through processes from start to finish. His biggest lesson has been that leadership means caring, in line with the servant leadership philosophy that All Metals emphasizes.
“Everyone at All Metals has always supported me,” he said. “So I try to take care of my coworkers in the same way that the company takes care of me. Being an employee of this company is something special to me. I want to take care of our parts, my team, our machines, every single aspect of our business.”
For Jairo, the forming team’s skills and enthusiasm reflect the culture of All Metals.
“This is the best shop I’ve worked in, by far,” he said. “This company operates at a different level. They give employees everything they need to successfully manufacture every project.”
That loyalty goes both ways. CEO Lance Thrailkill remembers an emotional conversation when Jairo told him he’d successfully become a permanent resident. Thanks to All Metals’ 401k benefits, he had been able to fund the process, and now he’s on his way to citizenship.
“When he got his permanent residence card, he came to thank me. It wasn’t long before we were both crying,” Lance says.
Our sheet metal fabrication team is made up of problem solvers and innovators who love a challenge. And that’s true in all of our capabilities. Whether you need precision machining or laser welding services, we’re ready to help.
Request a quote today from our Texas sheet metal shop!
