Plant Manager at LAVELLE INDUSTRIES INC. – Burlington, Wisconsin

Join our team! We have an opening in our Operations Team (Burlington, WI) for a Plant Manager. The Plant Manager is responsible for leading a 24/7 manufacturing operation across Compounding, Press, Assembly/Packaging, Maintenance, Mold Maintenance, and Secondary departments. Operating with a strong focus on Safety, Quality, Delivery, and Cost (SQDC), this role oversees shift supervisors and maintenance leadership while partnering closely with quality and safety teams. The Plant Manager drives operational performance, continuous improvement, and a strong safety culture while ensuring compliance with the company’s quality management system. This position owns site-level performance, including SQDC targets and P&L responsibility, and leads cross-functional initiatives to improve operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.

Responsibilities:

· Lead and maintain a strong safety culture by ensuring OSHA compliance, safe work practices, and proactive identification and resolution of safety risks.

· Oversee safety and quality incident investigations (5-Whys/CAPA) to ensure root causes are identified and corrective actions are sustained.

· Drive SQDC (Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost) performance through Tiered Daily Management, clear priorities, and removal of operational barriers.

· Conduct regular Gemba walks and layered process audits to reinforce standard work, identify gaps, and coach teams in problem solving.

· Lead continuous improvement initiatives using Lean methodologies (Kaizen, 5S, VSM, SMED, PDSA) to improve operational performance.

· Promote data-driven decision making, including use of SPC and performance metrics to improve quality, efficiency, and process stability.

· Identify and drive improvements in equipment performance, uptime, and yield through OEE-focused initiatives.

· Ensure effective production staffing, workforce planning, and capacity management to meet customer and operational requirements.

· Develop supervisors and operations leaders through coaching, performance feedback, and structured leadership development.

· Foster a culture of accountability, teamwork, and psychological safety where employees feel empowered to raise issues and drive improvement.

· Oversee cross-training, skill development, and succession planning to strengthen team capability and bench strength.

· Partner cross-functionally with Sales, Engineering, HR, and other teams to support operational goals and business priorities.

· Communicate operational performance, improvement initiatives, and risks clearly to leadership through regular reporting and reviews.

Requirements:

· 5+ years leadership in manufacturing (rubber or molding experience preferred)

· Strong Lean/CI background with demonstrated project results

· High proficiency in Microsoft Office and business systems (MES/ERP)

· Experience leading in 24/7 multi-shift operations

· Proven ability to develop frontline leadership talent

· Experience driving OEE and labor efficiency improvements

· Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations Management, or related field (preferred)

· Experience in a union environment (preferred)

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.