Secondary Material Business Developer in Rosedale, Indiana at TAGHLEEF INDUSTRIES
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Job Description
For more than 20 years, Taghleef Industries, Inc. has built a reputation as one of the world’s largest and most recognized industry leaders in specialty BOPP (Biaxially Oriented Polypropylene) films. This reputation is a result of the superior quality of our products and our people.
Taghleef Industries is seeking a motivated and results-driven Secondary Material Business Developer– Polypropylene to lead the commercial development and sales of polypropylene (PP) secondary materials generated through our manufacturing operations in Terre Haute, Indiana.
This position will focus on identifying new markets, developing customer relationships, and maximizing the commercial value of secondary materials, including PP lumps, BOPP film scrap, edge trim, off-specification rolls, and recycled polypropylene materials.
The ideal candidate will bring a combination of technical manufacturing knowledge, commercial awareness, and a proactive approach to business development. Experience in polypropylene processing, plastics recycling, injection molding, extrusion, or related manufacturing industries is highly desirable.
This is an onsite position requiring regular interaction with our manufacturing, production, and quality teams to understand the materials we produce, identify potential customer applications, and develop new revenue opportunities.
The successful candidate will manage an established secondary materials business while expanding our customer base across the United States and supporting the development of additional recycling capabilities at our Terre Haute facility.
We are looking for an individual who is comfortable building relationships, identifying new markets, and taking ownership of the commercial development of our secondary materials business.
Responsibilities:
1. Sales & Business Development
- Develop and execute sales strategies to maximize revenue and commercial value from polypropylene secondary materials, including PP lumps, BOPP film scrap, edge trim, and off-specification rolls.
- Identify and develop new business opportunities with plastics processors, compounders, injection molders, thermoforms, extrusion companies, recycling organizations, and material distributors.
- Proactively identify potential customers through market research, prospecting, cold calling, site visits, networking, and industry relationships.
- Develop and maintain a customer pipeline, converting new opportunities into long-term business relationships and repeat sales.
- Manage and expand an established secondary materials business with approximately $5 million in annual sales.
- Negotiate pricing, sales agreements, material specifications, payment terms, and delivery arrangements to maximize profitability.
- Identify opportunities to sell secondary materials at the highest commercially achievable value.
- Monitor market conditions, polypropylene pricing, recycling trends, and customer demand to identify opportunities for revenue growth.
- Develop sales opportunities throughout the United States, with territory coverage determined by market demand and customer potential.
- Build customer relationships beyond the immediate Terre Haute region, including opportunities across the Midwest, East Coast, West Coast, and other relevant markets.
2. Market Development & Customer Engagement
- Conduct market research to identify industries and applications that can utilize Taghleef's polypropylene secondary materials.
- Evaluate the potential demand for materials used in injection molding, thermoforming, raffia/tape extrusion, compounding, and other plastics processing applications.
- Understand customer manufacturing processes, material specifications, quality expectations, and commercial requirements.
- Identify what customers value most when purchasing secondary materials, including quality, consistency, pricing, supply reliability, and material performance.
- Communicate customer needs and market feedback to internal manufacturing, production, quality, and technical teams.
- Explore alternative markets and applications for materials that cannot be reused within Taghleef's existing manufacturing processes.
- Establish and maintain long-term customer relationships while continuously evaluating opportunities to improve pricing, margins, and material utilization.
3. Technical Knowledge & Manufacturing Collaboration
- Maintain a strong understanding of the polypropylene secondary materials generated by Taghleef's manufacturing operations.
- Work onsite with production, quality, and technical teams to understand material composition, specifications, grading, and potential customer applications.
- Develop knowledge of material characteristics, including printed and unprinted BOPP films, PP lumps, edge trim, and off-specification materials.
- Collaborate with internal teams to identify opportunities to improve material quality, segregation, and commercial value.
- Communicate customer specifications and quality requirements to the appropriate manufacturing and technical teams.
- Coordinate material trials and technical evaluations with customers to determine suitability for specific manufacturing applications.
- Assist in resolving customer quality concerns and identifying appropriate solutions.
- Support internal efforts to maintain clean, organized manufacturing operations and maximize the value recovered from secondary materials.
4. Recycling & Material Optimization
- Support Taghleef's efforts to expand polypropylene recycling capabilities at the Terre Haute facility.
- Collaborate with manufacturing and technical teams to identify opportunities to recycle secondary materials internally.
- Develop commercial opportunities for recycled materials generated through current and future recycling operations.
- Identify potential customers and applications for recycled polypropylene products.
- Explore opportunities to transform materials that cannot be reused in existing production processes into commercially valuable products through applications such as injection molding and thermoforming.
- Support the reduction of secondary material inventory through effective sales, material recovery, and recycling strategies.
- Work toward maximizing the commercial value of secondary materials while minimizing waste and supporting the company's sustainability objectives.
5. Operations, Logistics & Compliance
- Collaborate with production, warehouse, and logistics teams to coordinate material availability, shipping schedules, and customer deliveries.
- Support the development of efficient distribution arrangements for customers throughout the United States.
- Coordinate palletized shipments, material loading, transportation requirements, and delivery schedules.
- Ensure customer orders align with available material quantities, specifications, and delivery expectations.
- Work with internal departments to maintain appropriate documentation and ensure compliance with applicable environmental, safety, and legal requirements.
- Support international or cross-border sales opportunities when commercially appropriate.
Requirements:
- Experience in manufacturing, plastics processing, polypropylene materials, recycling, technical sales, or business development.
- Understanding of manufacturing operations and the ability to learn technical product characteristics and customer applications.
- Demonstrated ability to develop business relationships, identify market opportunities, and take initiative in a commercial or technical environment.
- Strong communication, relationship-building, and negotiation skills.
- Ability to work independently, manage multiple priorities, and take ownership of business development activities.
- Willingness to actively prospect, visit customers, and develop business across a broad geographic territory.
- Ability to work onsite at our Terre Haute, Indiana, manufacturing facility.
- A traditional sales background is not required. Candidates with relevant manufacturing or technical experience demonstrate strong commercial awareness, initiative, and an interest in developing new business are encouraged to apply.
Education
- Bachelor's degree in Business, Engineering, Plastics, Polymer Science, Chemical Engineering, or a related discipline preferred.
- Equivalent experience within plastics manufacturing, polypropylene processing, recycling, technical sales, or related industries will also be considered.
Taghleef is a Drug Free Workplace - Must pass pre-employment drug screen and background check.
Taghleef offers a solid track record of growth and expansion in the food packaging industry as well as a competitive benefits package including paid time off, paid holidays, health/prescription, dental and vision insurance, both short and long-term disability coverage, basic life insurance, additional life insurance amounts available including spouse and dependent child coverage through payroll deductions, flexible spending accounts, company funded heath savings accounts, fitness reimbursement, tuition assistance and 401(k) with a company match.
Taghleef Industries, is committed to fostering an inclusive workplace. We welcome applicants of all backgrounds and provide equal employment opportunities regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other trait protected by law.