Plant/Shop Manager

Promart Industrial; Sarnia; On-site; CAD 75,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

ProMart Industrial, a growing fabrication and industrial contracting company in Sarnia, is seeking a Plant Manager to lead its fabrication shop. You will supervise supervisors, foremen, welders, and operators, ensuring safe, efficient, and high-quality production while driving labor planning and shop loading.

You will oversee scheduling, equipment utilization, and continuous improvement initiatives while maintaining strong team culture and accountability in a dynamic, technology-driven

Qualifications

• Significant leadership experience in structural steel fabrication or industrial fabrication environment.
• Experience managing plant operations, supervisors, and production teams.
• Strong knowledge of safety, quality, and ISO-like systems is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead the daily operation of ProMart’s fabrication facility.
• Provide direct leadership to shop supervisors and production personnel.
• Build production plans based on project priorities, labour, materials, and capacity.
• Maintain an accurate shop loading plan and communicate priorities across shifts.
• Address risks, bottlenecks, and resource constraints to meet project delivery.
• Collaborate with project management, estimating, procurement, quality, and coatings.

Skills

Leadership

Fabrication knowledge

Project planning

People management

Safety compliance

Communication skills

Education

Trade background / engineering tech diploma

Tools

ERP systems

Spreadsheets

Digital reporting tools

Production scheduling software

Job description

Salary: $75,000 to $100,000 per year, based on qualifications and experience

There is a lot happening inside ProMart’s shop right now.

We have major projects lined up into 2028. We are investing nearly $2 million into robotic welding, advanced laser cutting and profile processing, automated material handling, new CNC technology, and facility improvements.

Our work is becoming larger, more complex, and more demanding. We need an exceptional Plant Manager who can take that capacity and turn it into safe, consistent, high quality production.

This is an opportunity to take real ownership of a growing fabrication operation and help shape what ProMart becomes.

About ProMart

ProMart Industrial is a third generation, family built fabrication and industrial contracting company that has been operating in Sarnia since 1985.

Our operations include an 80,000 square foot fabrication facility, a separate 25,000 square foot climate controlled coating facility, and an 11 acre laydown and modular assembly yard.

Our equipment includes PythonX, Ficep and Voortman CNC processing systems, plasma plate beds, automated material handling, and advanced welding technology.

We support major projects across nuclear, data centres, defence, mining, energy, automotive, institutions, and Canadian infrastructure.

ProMart maintains a CSA N299.3 compliant nuclear quality program, ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, COR, CWB W47.1, CSA W59, AISC, TSSA B31, B51, and SSPC QP3 requirements.

The Role

The Fabrication Plant Manager will be responsible for the safe, efficient, and consistent operation of ProMart’s fabrication shop.

This person will lead supervisors, lead hands, fitters, welders, machine operators, material handlers, and other production personnel. They will be accountable for daily execution, labour planning, shop loading, productivity, quality, equipment utilization, housekeeping, and schedule performance.

This is not an office only position.

We need someone who wants to be visible in the shop, understands how fabrication work actually moves, and can earn the trust of the people doing the work. Someone who can set clear expectations, hold people accountable, remove roadblocks, and keep multiple projects moving without compromising safety or quality.

The right person will understand both sides of the role. They will care about the numbers, hours, schedules, and production targets, but they will also know that strong results come from developing people and building a shop culture everyone is proud to be part of.

Responsibilities

• Lead the daily operation of ProMart’s fabrication facility
• Provide direct leadership to shop supervisors, lead hands, and production personnel
• Build daily and weekly production plans based on project priorities, available labour, material readiness, equipment capacity, and delivery requirements
• Maintain an accurate shop loading plan and communicate priorities clearly across all shifts
• Assign labour and equipment to the areas where they will have the greatest impact
• Lead daily production meetings and provide clear direction to supervisors and lead hands
• Monitor fabrication hours, productivity, earned progress, schedule performance, rework, and equipment utilization
• Identify production risks, bottlenecks, and resource constraints before they affect project delivery
• Coordinate closely with project management, estimating, detailing, procurement, quality, coatings, shipping, and field operations
• Ensure drawings, materials, procedures, consumables, and project information are available before work is released to the floor
• Maintain strong control of work in progress, fabrication sequences, shipping priorities, and project milestones
• Ensure all work is completed safely and in accordance with drawings, specifications, quality requirements, and approved procedures
• Work closely with the quality team to address nonconformances, inspection concerns, and corrective actions
• Support work completed under ProMart’s CSA N299.3 nuclear quality program and other regulated project requirements
• Maintain high standards for housekeeping, organization, material control, and equipment care
• Coordinate preventive maintenance and repairs to reduce downtime and protect production capacity
• Lead recruitment, onboarding, training, development, coaching, and performance management for shop personnel
• Build accountability while recognizing strong performance and developing future supervisors and leaders
• Review overtime requirements and ensure additional hours are planned and used effectively
• Support the implementation of robotic welding, automated processing, material handling, and other new technologies
• Improve workflows, shop layout, material movement, production reporting, and standard work practices
• Use production data to identify opportunities and make practical improvements
• Promote clear communication between shifts and ensure priorities do not get lost during handoffs
• Investigate production issues and implement lasting corrective actions
• Support continuous improvement without losing sight of daily project commitments
• Follow and enforce all ProMart safety, quality, environmental, and operating requirements

What We Are Looking For

• Significant leadership experience in a structural steel, welding, industrial fabrication, manufacturing, or heavy construction environment
• Previous experience as a Plant Manager, Shop Manager, Production Manager, General Foreperson, Superintendent, or similar operational leadership position
• Strong understanding of structural steel fabrication, fitting, welding, material handling, CNC processing, coatings, and shipping
• The ability to read and interpret shop drawings, engineering drawings, welding symbols, schedules, and project specifications
• Experience planning labour, balancing workloads, and managing multiple projects through a busy fabrication facility
• Strong understanding of production hours, productivity, workflow, equipment utilization, and schedule performance
• Proven ability to lead supervisors, hold people accountable, and build a positive shop culture
• A practical approach to problem solving and the confidence to make timely decisions
• Strong communication and organizational skills
• Experience working within ISO 9001, CWB, AISC, or other certified quality systems is an asset
• Experience supporting nuclear, CSA N299.3, or other highly regulated projects is an asset
• Experience implementing automation, lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, or production technology is an asset
• Comfortable using ERP systems, production schedules, spreadsheets, and digital reporting tools
• A trade background, engineering technology diploma, manufacturing education, or equivalent practical experience is an asset

Why Join ProMart

ProMart is entering one of the most exciting periods in its history.

We have the work, the facilities, the equipment, and the investment required to build something special. Now we are putting the leadership team in place to take full advantage of it.

The person who takes this role will have the support to make real improvements. Your ideas will be heard. You will work directly with senior leadership and have a major influence on how the shop operates, how our people develop, and how ProMart performs for years to come.

We are looking for someone who takes ownership, loves production, respects the people on the floor, and gets genuine satisfaction from watching a great team deliver difficult work.

If you are ready to lead a growing fabrication operation and help build the next chapter of ProMart, we want to hear from you.

ProMart Industrial is an equal opportunity employer. Accommodations are available throughout the recruitment process upon request.