Guests today expect more than a single “wow” moment. They are looking for immersive environments – places that tell a story and leave a lasting impression.
As visitor expectations continue to evolve, owners and operators need partners who can not only fabricate what’s designed today, but anticipate how immersive experiences will be conceived, built and delivered tomorrow. With more than 40 years of experience in themed construction and specialty fabrication, Nassal has long helped bring ambitious visions to life. Now, the company is expanding what’s possible for its clients even further.
Early this year, Nassal’s Orlando-based team moved fabrication operations – including millwork, architectural metals, casting, 5-axis sculpting, 3D printing, pre-fabricated rockwork, scenic painting and other customizable fabrication services – to a new, state-of the art facility, which also brings all divisions under one roof for the first time. The move ultimately provides greater opportunities to self-perform more work and a streamlined environment designed for collaboration, innovation and efficiency.
“This is a really exciting time for Nassal,” says Matt Brown, vice president of operations. “The new space gives us the capacity to fabricate more than ever before and the technology we’re integrating into the fabrication shop enables us to streamline and elevate how we deliver for our clients.”
Now with 27,000 square feet of office space and 116,000 square feet of enclosed fabrication space, Nassal is well equipped to bring its next generation of projects to life.
For decades, the designers, engineers, fabricators and construction experts at Nassal have produced industry-leading work across hundreds of spaces. While the craftsmanship has never wavered, maintaining streamlined fabrication operations created logistical challenges, including moving materials between shops, coordinating schedules and working around environmental constraints.
“One of the main reasons for moving into this new facility was efficiency,” says Michael Shearin, senior design director for Nassal. “Having everyone under one roof allows us to communicate more effectively and collaborate in real time. Design, fabrication and operations are interacting constantly, which improves decision-making and ultimately improves the end product.”
Collaboration has always been central to Nassal’s process, but the new facility makes it easier than ever by bringing designers, fabricators, shop managers and foremen together earlier and more consistently to evaluate ideas both creatively and practically.
“Before anything hits the shop floor, we bring in our foremen and shop managers to make sure the materials, methods and sequencing we’ve planned for are the best possible approach,” says Brittany Homoki, a Nassal fabrication production manager. “Everyone who physically builds the work is involved early, which helps turn ideas into reality.”
The increased fabrication space also allows Nassal to take on larger, more complex scopes that were previously constrained by space or equipment limitations. With more than triple the available footprint compared to its previous setup, teams can now assemble, stage and test larger elements without breaking them down prematurely.
“We can put things together and keep them together,” Homoki said. “That alone makes a huge difference in quality and efficiency. It’s an ideal environment for producing the best possible product.”
According to Bill Nassal, president of Nassal, the expanded facility also helps reframe how clients can think about the company’s role in their entertainment project.
“Our projects have previously been shaped by the limits of space and technology,” said Nassal. “Now we have the room and the cutting-edge equipment to do things we might not have been able to do before. This facility sets the bar for what a specialty fabricator can truly do in-house.”
With the space and technology now in place, Nassal is able to take on more ambitious work and transform how immersive environments are fabricated from start to finish.
The expanded footprint also expands the team’s about capabilities. The new facility houses an array of advanced tools and equipment that allow Nassal to fabricate more complex elements in-house, with greater control and speed.
New and upgraded additions include:
Together, these tools create a digital-to-fabrication pipeline that transforms detailed 3D models directly into precisely built components.
“We’re developing more of our designs in 3D and translating them straight into fabrication,” says Shearin. “Using robotic sculpting and digital tooling allows us to achieve incredible accuracy and consistency, while also increasing efficiency.”
For clients, that translates to faster timelines and greater confidence that what’s designed can be delivered as envisioned.
“We expect clients to experience better quality and a more efficient schedule as a direct result of this facility,” says Brown.
Even with expanded square footage and new tools, the heart of Nassal’s work remains unchanged: craftsmanship, attention to detail and a deep understanding of how people experience space.
“When a guest walks into a space we’ve built, we want them to feel like they’re exactly where they’re supposed to be,” says Nassal. “They’re immersed before they even realize why. That’s what great themed environments do.”
The new Orlando facility strengthens Nassal’s ability to deliver that feeling more efficiently, more collaboratively and at a greater scale, all while positioning the company to adapt alongside an industry that continues to push creative boundaries.
As immersive entertainment grows more sophisticated and expectations rise, Nassal’s investment in its people, tools and workspace ensures clients have a partner equipped for the long term.
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