Manager - Cutting & Sorting

Caterpillar Signs; Gandhinagar; On-site; INR 1,200,000 - 2,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Caterpillar Signs is seeking a Cutting Department Manager in Gandhinagar to oversee all cutting machines, manual cutting, and sorting teams, ensuring high productivity and minimal wastage. You will drive OEE, plan workloads, and coordinate with planning, merchandising, and production to align cutting schedules with dispatch commitments.

Candidates should bring 5–10 years in cutting operations, strong leadership, and a data-driven approach to improve quality and reduce rework.

Qualifications

• Must have been through cutting dept. operations and leading teams.
• 5–10 years of cutting/furniture upholstery/manufacturing experience.
• Experience with fabric/foam cutting, sorting, and kit management.

Responsibilities

• Own throughput of cutting machines and sorting team.
• Monitor and drive OEE and operator productivity daily.
• Plan and supervise fabric, foam, and manual cutting operations.
• Prioritize orders based on ageing and prepare cutting schedules.
• Supervise sorting and ensure complete, defect-free cut kits.
• Distribute cut kits to vendors per dispatch plan and maintain records.
• Maintain records for cutting output, wastage, and MIS reports.
• Ensure preventive maintenance and timely breakdown resolution.

Skills

OEE monitoring

Team leadership

Planning & scheduling

Data analysis

Attention to detail

Education

Graduate in Textile/Mechanical/Production

Tools

Excel

ERP systems

MIS reporting

Job description

Job Description: Cutting Department Manager Department

Cutting & Sorting

Job Purpose

To manage the complete throughput of the Cutting Department including cutting machines, manual cutting, and the sorting team — by ensuring high people productivity, optimal machine efficiency, minimal fabric and foam wastage, timely order execution based on ageing, accurate cut-kit dispatch to vendors, and error-free cutting and sorting to eliminate kit returns.

1. Throughput & Productivity Management

• Own end-to-end throughput of all cutting machines and the sorting team.


• Monitor and drive machine efficiency (OEE) and operator productivity on a daily/shift basis.


• Track output vs. plan for cutting and sorting; identify and resolve bottlenecks in real time.


• Set and review productivity benchmarks (pieces/hour, kits/day, machine utilization %) for operators and machines.

2. Cutting Operations (Fabric, Foam & Manual)

• Plan and supervise fabric cutting, foam cutting, and manual cutting operations.


• Deploy manual cutting judiciously for small-scale/low-volume requirements to optimize material usage and reduce wastage.


• Continuously identify opportunities to reduce fabric and foam wastage through better marker planning, lay optimization, and cutting sequence.


• Ensure correct cutting specifications, patterns, and sizes are followed as per order requirements.

3. Order Prioritization & Scheduling

• Track ageing of all pending orders and use ageing data to prioritize the daily/weekly cutting schedule.


• Prepare and maintain a cutting schedule/plan aligned with dispatch commitments and order priority.


• Coordinate with planning, merchandising, and production teams to align cutting schedules with overall production flow.

4. Sorting & Kit Management

• Supervise the sorting team to ensure accurate sorting and kitting of cut components.


• Ensure cut kits are complete, correctly matched, and free of defects before dispatch.


• Ensure cutting and sorting processes are executed error-free to eliminate kit returns from vendors/downstream units.

5. Vendor Kit Distribution

• Ensure cut kits are distributed to vendors strictly as per the agreed dispatch plan and timelines.


• Maintain proper documentation and records of kits dispatched — including quantity, date, vendor, and order reference.


• Coordinate with logistics/dispatch teams to ensure timely and accurate handover of kits.


• Track and resolve any discrepancies or delays in kit distribution.

6. Quality & Wastage Control

• Implement checks/controls to minimize cutting errors, mismatches, and material wastage.


• Conduct root-cause analysis on kit returns or cutting errors and implement corrective/preventive actions.


• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to reduce rework, wastage %, and kit rejection rate.

7. Team Management

• Lead, train, and manage cutting machine operators, manual cutters, and the sorting team.


• Plan manpower deployment/shift allocation based on order load and machine availability.


• Monitor attendance, discipline, and performance of the team; conduct performance reviews.


• Identify training needs and build a skilled, multi-tasking workforce.

8. Records & Reporting

• Maintain accurate records of cutting output, wastage, machine efficiency, kit dispatch, and returns.


• Prepare and share daily/weekly/monthly MIS reports with management on department performance.


• Ensure documentation is audit-ready and compliant with internal SOPs.

9. Machine & Resource Management

• Ensure preventive maintenance of cutting machines is planned and executed to avoid downtime.


• Coordinate with maintenance team for timely breakdown resolution.


• Monitor machine efficiency and take corrective action for underperforming equipment.

Key Result Areas (KRAs)

• Cutting & sorting throughput vs. plan


• Machine efficiency / OEE %


• Fabric & foam wastage %


• On-time cut-kit dispatch to vendors (%)


• Kit return rate (target: zero/near-zero)


• Order ageing compliance in scheduling


• Team productivity and attendance


• Accuracy of dispatch and production records

Qualifications & Experience

• Graduate in Textile/Mechanical, Production, Industrial Engineering, or related field (relevant experience may be considered in lieu).


• 5–10 years of experience in cutting department operations within furniture, mattress, upholstery, garment, or foam-based manufacturing.


• Proven experience managing cutting machines (fabric/foam) and sorting/kitting teams.


• Hands-on exposure to manual cutting operations is preferred.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong understanding of fabric and foam cutting processes and wastage optimization techniques.


• Good planning and scheduling skills, especially order-ageing-based prioritization.


• People management and team leadership skills.


• Data-driven approach — comfortable maintaining records/MIS in Excel or ERP systems.


• Strong coordination skills with planning, merchandising, dispatch, and vendor teams.


• Problem-solving mindset with focus on quality and error elimination.


• Attention to detail and process discipline.