Coating and Paint Manager

Kelso Industries•Duncan, SC

11d•Onsite

About The Position

Kelso Industries is seeking an experienced, hands-on Coating and Paint Manager to oversee all work passing through blast, prime, and paint operations. The manager leads the coating team and serves as the company’s expert on surface preparation, coating systems, and paint specifications. The role ensures parts are prepared, coated, and cured to specification; jobs are estimated and scheduled accurately; and finished work leaves the shop on time and at target cost. The manager works closely with Production, Estimating, Purchasing, Quality, and Project Managers, with performance reviewed against defined monthly KPIs and annually.

Requirements

At least 7 years of industrial coating or painting experience, including at least 3 years supervising a paint or blast crew.
Hands-on knowledge of abrasive blasting, liquid spray application (conventional, HVLP, airless, or air-assisted airless), and cure processes.
Ability to take off quantities from drawings and estimate coating jobs using linear feet and square footage, including material quantities, labor hours, and costs.
Ability to read blueprints, coating specifications, and product data sheets.
Skill with DFT gauges, surface profile gauges, wet film gauges, and adhesion testers.
Working knowledge of OSHA and environmental requirements for coating operations.
Strong Excel skills and working knowledge of an ERP or production system.
High school diploma or equivalent.
Normal color vision to judge color match and finish quality.
Ability to regularly stand, walk, bend, climb ladders, and lift up to 50 pounds unassisted.
Ability to wear required PPE, including a respirator, safety glasses, hearing protection, and protective clothing; respirator use requires medical clearance and fit testing.
Occasional overtime or early starts may be needed to meet ship dates and project requirements.

Nice To Haves

AMPP (formerly NACE/SSPC) Coating Inspector certification, Level 1 or higher.
SSPC C-7 abrasive-blasting or C-12 spray-application training or certification.
Experience with powder coating, multi-coat epoxy and polyurethane systems, or galvanized and duplex coatings.
Experience in structural steel, pipe, heavy equipment, or custom fabrication.
Associate or bachelor’s degree in a technical or business field.
Lean, Six Sigma, or 5S training.
Bilingual English and Spanish.

Responsibilities

Plan and schedule daily and weekly work in blast and paint areas in line with production schedules and promised ship dates.
Coordinate with Fabrication, Welding, Assembly, and Shipping so parts are ready for coating and leave on time.
Set up and control surface preparation, cleaning, pretreatment, primer and topcoat application, cure times, and handling processes.
Manage paint booths, blast rooms, spray equipment, ovens, compressors, and air systems, including preventive maintenance and repairs.
Track labor, material usage, and rework to manage the department within budget.
Take off quantities from drawings and estimate coating jobs by linear foot and square footage.
Calculate paint, primer, thinner, and abrasive quantities, labor hours, and costs for quotes and job budgets.
Compare actual material and labor use with estimates and adjust estimating factors.
Order and control coating materials and consumables; manage inventory, shelf life, and batch records.
Work with suppliers to qualify coatings, resolve application problems, and negotiate pricing with Purchasing.
Read and apply customer and engineering coating specifications, drawings, and product data sheets.
Apply SSPC/AMPP surface-preparation standards and ASTM test methods as required by each job.
Inspect and document surface profile, cleanliness, dry film thickness, adhesion, color, and gloss.
Lead root-cause analysis and corrective action for coating defects, customer complaints, and rework.
Maintain inspection reports and batch/lot traceability for customer and audit review.
Hire, train, schedule, and evaluate leads, painters, blasters, and prep staff; cross-train staff for coverage.
Enforce OSHA requirements for spray finishing, respiratory protection, hazard communication, confined spaces, and PPE.
Maintain Safety Data Sheets, respirator fit-test and medical-clearance records, and department safety training.
Keep operations within air-permit limits, track VOC and HAP usage, and support environmental reporting.
Manage storage, handling, and disposal of paint waste, solvents, and spent abrasive; maintain fire protection, ventilation, and booth filters.
Write and maintain procedures for surface preparation, application, inspection, and equipment care.
Identify and implement ways to reduce cycle time, rework, material waste, and cost per square foot.
Set daily priorities, hold the team accountable to KPI targets, coach and develop employees, and lead by example on safety, quality, and housekeeping.
Make timely decisions when ship dates, staffing, or materials change; resolve conflict fairly and foster a cooperative team culture.
Drive continuous improvement, build team buy-in for new processes, and represent the department with managers, suppliers, and customers.