Extrusion Die & Tooling Designer

Oldcastle APG; Dover (DE); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, disability benefits

Retirement savings program

Health and wellness programs

Inclusive culture

Job summary

Oldcastle APG, a CRH company, seeks an Extrusion Die & Tooling Designer to design, develop, and improve dies, calibrators, and downstream tooling for PVC vinyl fence profiles. This role owns tooling design from concept through commissioning, translating product drawings into robust tooling that runs at target rates and maintains tight tolerances.

Bulls Gap, TN, Dover, DE or Brooksville FL sites welcome onsite work.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Plastics, or Manufacturing Engineering, or equivalent.
• 5+ years of experience designing profile extrusion dies and tooling, preferably for rigid PVC.
• Proficiency in 3D CAD (SolidWorks or equivalent) and 2D drafting, including GD&T.
• Strong understanding of polymer flow, rheology, die balancing, and calibration/cooling principles; experience with die flow simulation software is a plus.
• Working knowledge of machining processes used in toolmaking (CNC milling, wire/sinker EDM, grinding, polishing).
• Experience with co-extrusion and capstock systems preferred.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills; able to work hands-on at the extrusion line.
• Ability to travel up to 35% to suppliers and sister facilities.

Responsibilities

• Design profile extrusion dies, including flow channels, land lengths, and die plates for PVC fence components.
• Design calibrators, vacuum tanks, cooling fixtures, puller pads, and cutter tooling to match profile geometry and line speed.
• Design co-extrusion and capstock feed systems for uniform cap layer thickness and weatherable surfaces.
• Translate product drawings into die and tooling packages and review designs for manufacturability.
• Lead tooling trials and commissioning of new dies with Die Tuners and Production.
• Analyze tooling-related defects and implement design corrections to improve quality and throughput.
• Drive improvements in line speed, scrap rate, changeover time, and tooling life.

Skills

Die design

3D CAD (SolidWorks)

Polymer flow & rheology

Machining processes

Travel willingness

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical/Plastics/Manufacturing Engineering

Tools

SolidWorks

CNC milling

EDM

Polishing

Job description

Job ID: 529707

Oldcastle, a CRH company, is reinventing what's possible in building solutions. We are the leading provider of innovative outdoor living products and utility infrastructure solutions for the water, energy, and communications markets throughout North America. We're a trusted and strategic partner to engineers, contractors, distributors, specifiers, retailers, and homeowners alike as the manufacturer of precast concrete, polymer concrete, and plastic infrastructure products. Our portfolio of brands includes Oldcastle APG, Oldcastle Infrastructure, Belgard® hardscape, Echelon® Masonry, RDI® railing, Catalyst™ Fence Solutions, Sakrete® packaged concrete, Amerimix® mortar, Pebble Technology International® pool finishes, and Techniseal® sands and sealant technologies.

Job Summary

We are seeking a skilled Extrusion Die & Tooling Designer to design, develop, and continuously improve the extrusion dies, calibrators, and downstream tooling used to manufacture our PVC vinyl fence & railing profiles. This role will own tooling design from concept through commissioning, translating product drawings into robust, manufacturable tooling that runs at target rates, holds tight dimensional tolerances, and delivers a consistent surface finish.

Job Location

This position is onsite and can be based out of our Bulls Gap, TN, Dover, DE or Brooksville FL vinyl fence manufacturing facilities.

Job Responsibilities

Die & Tooling Design

• Design profile extrusion dies, including flow channels, land lengths, and die plates, for rigid PVC fence posts, rails, pickets, caps, and accessory profiles.
• Design calibrators/sizers, vacuum tanks, cooling fixtures, puller pads, and cutter/punch tooling to match profile geometry and line speed.
• Design co-extrusion and capstock feed systems to achieve uniform cap layer thickness and weatherable surfaces.
• Apply flow balancing, drawdown, swell, and shrinkage allowances to hit nominal dimensions and wall thickness with minimal tuning.

New Product & Profile Development

• Translate product drawings and customer requirements into complete die and calibration tooling packages.
• Review new profile designs for manufacturability and recommend geometry changes to improve extrudability, rate, and cost.
• Lead tooling trials and commissioning of new dies with Die Tuners and Production, documenting results and design iterations.

Tooling Performance & Continuous Improvement

• Die Tunning
• Analyze tooling-related defects (dimensional drift, warp, bow, die lines, gloss variation, wall thickness variation) and implement design corrections.
• Drive improvements in line speed, scrap rate, changeover time, and tooling life through design upgrades and standardization.
• Evaluate die steels, coatings, and surface treatments to improve durability and surface finish.

Supplier & Toolroom Management

• Manage external die shops and toolmakers: prepare RFQs, review quotes, approve designs, track lead times, and inspect incoming tooling.
• Provide machining guidance to the in-house toolroom for modifications, rework, and repairs (CNC, EDM, polishing).

Documentation & Standards

• Maintain 3D models, 2D drawings, bills of material, and revision control for all dies and tooling.
• Develop tooling standards, design guidelines, and setup sheets in partnership with Die Tuners and Process Engineering.
• Support quality and compliance requirements, including ASTM F964 and customer specifications for PVC fence profiles.

Safety & Collaboration

• Ensure tooling designs incorporate safe handling, lifting, and changeover practices.
• Partner with Manufacturing, Maintenance, Quality, and Product Development teams to ensure tooling supports business goals.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Job Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Plastics, or Manufacturing Engineering, or equivalent combination of education and hands-on experience.
• 5 plus years of experience designing profile extrusion dies and tooling, preferably for rigid PVC (vinyl) fence, railing, siding, decking, or window profiles.
• Proficiency in 3D CAD (SolidWorks or equivalent) and 2D drafting, including GD&T.
• Strong understanding of polymer flow, rheology, die balancing, and calibration/cooling principles; experience with die flow simulation software is a plus.
• Working knowledge of machining processes used in toolmaking (CNC milling, wire/sinker EDM, grinding, polishing).
• Experience with co-extrusion and capstock systems preferred.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills; able to work hands-on at the extrusion line.
• Ability to travel up to 35% to suppliers and sister facilities.

What CRH Offers You

• Highly competitive base pay
• Comprehensive medical, dental and disability benefits programs
• Group retirement savings program
• Health and wellness programs
• An inclusive culture that values opportunity for growth, development, and internal promotion

About CRH

CRH has a long and proud heritage. We are a collection of hundreds of family businesses, regional companies and large enterprises that together form the CRH family. CRH operates in a decentralized, diversified structure that allows you to work in a small company environment while having the career opportunities of a large international organization.

EOE/Vet/Disability

Oldcastle APG, a CRH Company, is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer.

CRH is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, status as a protected veteran or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law.

AI tools may be used in certain stages of the employment lifecycle, such as candidate review; however, all final employment decisions will be made by a person.