Whether you arrive to work early or head home late, chances are that Jeff Muhl’s work day has either already started or is still underway.
Since June, Muhl has been immersed in his first business venture, Cutting Edge Industrial Technology (CEIT), through which he is presently churning out a wide assortment of products to a growing array of corporations based in over two-dozen different states and counting.
It’s an immense amount of work and the level of investment inherently means that it’s risky, but that’s the price paid when one takes the leap from life as an employee to that of an employer.
With a grin, Muhl acknowledged, “It’s stimulating. Refreshing. I’ll even call it an adventure.”
Industrial processes typically conjure up images of noise and pollution, but the methods of Muhl’s business are not like that of most. Beyond the abundance of product, there’s little else, in terms of pollutants, that leaves the premises.
“What really appealed to me was the clean technology,” he said.
Water jet cutting, as employed by CEIT in its facility located across the street from City Hall, has only been around since the 1970s.
“There is really no other technology like it,” said Muhl.
Utilizing a needle-like beam of water, pressurized between 30,000 to 90,000 pounds per square inch, water jet machines cut, shape, carve and ream products for a diversity of industries from mining to aerospace. Rubber, foam, plastics, composites, stone, tile and metals are all materials included in the machines’ repertoire.
The process uses no heat and is extremely efficient. The highly pressurized water, by itself, cuts substances such as foam and rubber while a reusable abrasive, in this case garnet, is added to the stream when taking on denser materials like metal. When all of the machines are running, Muhl says less that one-and-a-half gallons of water are used per minute. Once filtered for particulates, it is clean enough to be sent down the drain.
Muhl said the opportunity to bring the business, formerly known as Water Jet Cutting, to Granite Falls “more or less fell into my lap” in late 2009 while he was still managing the manufacturing facility for local design and engineering outfit, Specialty Systems. He was made aware of the 24 year old Long Lake located company from contacts in the industry. After a little encouragement from friends and business acquaintances he said he decided to get into touch with a business broker.
Muhl’s background in engineering began development while he was in the military. After graduating from high school in Minneota in ‘82 he entered the service and took engineering classes when time was spare. He completed his term of active duty in 1988 and moved to the Cities where he remained in the reserves until 1994. During this period he further added to his credentials obtaining degrees in mechanical and electrical engineering, computer science and business management.
He held jobs with engineering firms Bobco Systems and Ramsey Technologies, but eventually Muhl and wife, Bethann, made the decision to return to rural Minnesota where their preferred lifestyle, devoid of traffic and rich with opportunities for outdoor pursuits, was the custom. The two live in rural Granite Falls with four boys, Derek, Scott, Kurt and Brad.
Muhl considered much before deciding to purchase Water Jet Cutting. He delved into its sales history and was reassured by the potential diversity of customers that included A-list corporations 3M, Caterpillar, Lockheed Martin, Martin Marietta and NASA. He said it would have been a deal-breaker had he not been able to relocate the company to Granite Falls. In the end, his belief that the country was finally pulling out of the recession made him feel comfortable enough to pull the trigger on a deal consummated in mid-March.
With possession of the company, Muhl said that one of the first things he did was to look for ways to improve it. He made capital equipment purchases of a lathe, vertical mill and a welding machine, effectively enhancing and expanding the companies already extensive capabilities.
“Instead of just being contracted to cut metal shapes we can we can do post process machining [including drilling and tapping] to try to bring together a more complete package,” said Muhl in example.
Since opening in June, Muhl said business has been “steady.” Retaining 85 to 90 percent of the company’s clientele has been essential to the initial success and he said he is picking up new customers creating moderate growth.
Currently CEIT excels behind the efforts of Muhl and his two employees, whom the new business owner calls the most important component of his company.
“They really are the key to the success of this business,” he said.
Down the line, Muhl expects to add to the payroll, calling the potential for the companies further development as “huge.” In approximately five years he plans to have garnered enough business to require a larger work space with a goal of employing a workforce of 12 to 15 within 10 to 15 years.
With the right mindset, machines, materials and employees, all the pieces are there for Cutting Edge Industrial Technology to make an impact on the industry. It looks as if this adventure is just beginning.
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Whether you arrive to work early or head home late, chances are that Jeff Muhl’s work day has either already started or is still underway.
Since June, Muhl has been immersed in his first business venture, Cutting Edge Industrial Technology (CEIT), through which he is presently churning out a wide assortment of products to a growing array of corporations based in over two-dozen different states and counting.
It’s an immense amount of work and the level of investment inherently means that it’s risky, but that’s the price paid when one takes the leap from life as an employee to that of an employer.
With a grin, Muhl acknowledged, “It’s stimulating. Refreshing. I’ll even call it an adventure.”
Industrial processes typically conjure up images of noise and pollution, but the methods of Muhl’s business are not like that of most. Beyond the abundance of product, there’s little else, in terms of pollutants, that leaves the premises.
“What really appealed to me was the clean technology,” he said.
Water jet cutting, as employed by CEIT in its facility located across the street from City Hall, has only been around since the 1970s.
“There is really no other technology like it,” said Muhl.
Utilizing a needle-like beam of water, pressurized between 30,000 to 90,000 pounds per square inch, water jet machines cut, shape, carve and ream products for a diversity of industries from mining to aerospace. Rubber, foam, plastics, composites, stone, tile and metals are all materials included in the machines’ repertoire.
The process uses no heat and is extremely efficient. The highly pressurized water, by itself, cuts substances such as foam and rubber while a reusable abrasive, in this case garnet, is added to the stream when taking on denser materials like metal. When all of the machines are running, Muhl says less that one-and-a-half gallons of water are used per minute. Once filtered for particulates, it is clean enough to be sent down the drain.
Muhl said the opportunity to bring the business, formerly known as Water Jet Cutting, to Granite Falls “more or less fell into my lap” in late 2009 while he was still managing the manufacturing facility for local design and engineering outfit, Specialty Systems. He was made aware of the 24 year old Long Lake located company from contacts in the industry. After a little encouragement from friends and business acquaintances he said he decided to get into touch with a business broker.
Muhl’s background in engineering began development while he was in the military. After graduating from high school in Minneota in ‘82 he entered the service and took engineering classes when time was spare. He completed his term of active duty in 1988 and moved to the Cities where he remained in the reserves until 1994. During this period he further added to his credentials obtaining degrees in mechanical and electrical engineering, computer science and business management.
He held jobs with engineering firms Bobco Systems and Ramsey Technologies, but eventually Muhl and wife, Bethann, made the decision to return to rural Minnesota where their preferred lifestyle, devoid of traffic and rich with opportunities for outdoor pursuits, was the custom. The two live in rural Granite Falls with four boys, Derek, Scott, Kurt and Brad.
Muhl considered much before deciding to purchase Water Jet Cutting. He delved into its sales history and was reassured by the potential diversity of customers that included A-list corporations 3M, Caterpillar, Lockheed Martin, Martin Marietta and NASA. He said it would have been a deal-breaker had he not been able to relocate the company to Granite Falls. In the end, his belief that the country was finally pulling out of the recession made him feel comfortable enough to pull the trigger on a deal consummated in mid-March.
With possession of the company, Muhl said that one of the first things he did was to look for ways to improve it. He made capital equipment purchases of a lathe, vertical mill and a welding machine, effectively enhancing and expanding the companies already extensive capabilities.
“Instead of just being contracted to cut metal shapes we can we can do post process machining [including drilling and tapping] to try to bring together a more complete package,” said Muhl in example.
Since opening in June, Muhl said business has been “steady.” Retaining 85 to 90 percent of the company’s clientele has been essential to the initial success and he said he is picking up new customers creating moderate growth.
Currently CEIT excels behind the efforts of Muhl and his two employees, whom the new business owner calls the most important component of his company.
“They really are the key to the success of this business,” he said.
Down the line, Muhl expects to add to the payroll, calling the potential for the companies further development as “huge.” In approximately five years he plans to have garnered enough business to require a larger work space with a goal of employing a workforce of 12 to 15 within 10 to 15 years.
With the right mindset, machines, materials and employees, all the pieces are there for Cutting Edge Industrial Technology to make an impact on the industry. It looks as if this adventure is just beginning.
