Bedrock: Director of Manufacturing

Kaspar Companies•Shiner, TX

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Director of Manufacturing leads and optimizes manufacturing operations at Bedrock Truck Beds’ Shiner and Beeville facilities, overseeing flatbed production, the flatbed finishing line, and Manufacturing Engineering. The role is accountable for production goals, operational efficiency, product quality, employee safety, manufacturing costs, and on-time delivery. The Director leads manufacturing and engineering teams to standardize processes, improve manufacturability, implement Lean Manufacturing principles, and drive continuous improvement across both facilities. This is a hands-on, results-oriented leadership position requiring a strong background in metal fabrication, welding, assembly, finishing operations, manufacturing engineering, and multi-facility leadership. The primary location is Shiner, Texas, with occasional travel to Beeville (approximately 90% Shiner / 10% Beeville). The role works in manufacturing and office environments, with regular presence on production floors. Work may involve walking and standing in manufacturing areas and using required personal protective equipment.

Requirements

7–10+ years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience, preferably in metal fabrication, welding, assembly, or industrial manufacturing.
Demonstrated experience implementing Lean Manufacturing principles and delivering measurable improvements in productivity, quality, cost, and lead time.
Experience leading Manufacturing Engineering, production operations, and multiple manufacturing departments or facilities.
Strong understanding of fabrication, welding, assembly, finishing, production scheduling, and manufacturing processes.
Proven ability to improve manufacturing flow, eliminate waste, and increase labor productivity.
Experience with Lean tools such as 6S, Kaizen, value stream mapping, standard work, visual management, and root-cause analysis.
Experience leading and developing managers, production supervisors, manufacturing engineers, and hourly employees.
Strong understanding of manufacturing process development, tooling, fixtures, automation, and design for manufacturability.
Experience managing budgets, capital projects, production capacity, and manufacturing cost controls.
Ability to travel occasionally between Shiner and Beeville (approximately 90% Shiner / 10% Beeville).
Strong analytical, communication, leadership, and problem-solving skills.
Proficiency with ERP systems, production reporting, and Microsoft Office or comparable tools.
Work may involve walking and standing in manufacturing areas and using required personal protective equipment.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor's degree in Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Operations Management, or a related field; equivalent relevant experience may be considered.
Experience in truck equipment, commercial vehicle upfitting, agricultural equipment, or heavy metal fabrication.
Lean certification or formal Lean training, such as Lean Six Sigma, is a plus.

Responsibilities

Direct manufacturing operations at the Shiner and Beeville facilities, including flatbed fabrication, welding, assembly, finishing, and final inspection.
Manage the flatbed finishing line to support appropriate workflow, capacity, quality, and on-time completion.
Establish production schedules and align resources with customer demand; balance workloads, staffing, equipment, and capacity between facilities.
Standardize processes and best practices across locations and reduce bottlenecks, downtime, rework, and inefficient use of labor and materials.
Direct and develop the Manufacturing Engineering team and ensure its work supports production, quality, cost reduction, and capacity goals.
Lead development and implementation of standardized work instructions, process documentation, production layouts, and manufacturing methods.
Improve fabrication, welding, assembly, tooling, fixtures, automation, and finishing processes; partner with Design Engineering on design for manufacturability and cost reduction.
Lead engineering projects and evaluate or implement manufacturing technologies, equipment, tooling, and automation.
Establish engineering standards and ensure process changes are implemented across both facilities.
Use data, time studies, and root-cause analysis to identify and measure improvement opportunities.
Lead implementation and continued development of Lean Manufacturing practices across both facilities, fostering waste elimination, continuous improvement, and employee involvement.
Apply Lean tools including 6S, standard work, value stream mapping, visual management, root-cause analysis, and Kaizen events.
Improve production flow, reduce work-in-process inventory and lead times, and eliminate non-value-added activities and bottlenecks.
Implement labor standards, cycle-time measurements, and productivity metrics where appropriate; train and coach employees and leaders in Lean and problem-solving methods.
Track and verify improvements in productivity, quality, cost, and delivery performance.
Lead, coach, and develop managers, production supervisors, and Manufacturing Engineering personnel; set expectations and accountability.
Build a culture focused on safety, quality, teamwork, ownership, and continuous improvement; ensure adequate staffing, technical training, cross-training, and succession planning.
Establish and maintain quality standards; reduce defects, scrap, rework, warranty claims, and customer complaints; ensure corrective actions address root causes.
Maintain compliance with applicable OSHA requirements and environmental regulations, and promote safe work practices in manufacturing operations.
Hold manufacturing and engineering leaders accountable for safety and quality performance.
Develop and manage manufacturing and Manufacturing Engineering budgets; monitor labor productivity, material usage, scrap, rework, overtime, and manufacturing cost per unit.
Lead cost-reduction initiatives while maintaining safety and product quality; evaluate capital investments in equipment, tooling, automation, and facility improvements.
Partner with Purchasing and other departments to improve operating performance and reduce material cost.
Coordinate with Purchasing and Planning to ensure material availability and align production schedules with inventory, labor, equipment, and shipping capacity.
Ensure preventive maintenance supports equipment reliability and minimizes downtime; coordinate finished-product flow through shipping.
Establish KPIs for both facilities and Manufacturing Engineering, review safety, quality, production, delivery, cost, and engineering performance, and report results, risks, and improvement initiatives to executive leadership.
Use data-driven decisions to prioritize projects, measure results, and ensure accountability for improvement initiatives and business outcomes.
Perform other duties as assigned by management.