Plant Manager

Arclin; Cleveland (OH); On-site; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Arclin is seeking a Plant Manager to lead a rubber and dispersants manufacturing facility. You will own safety, production, maintenance, quality, and cost performance, delivering Customer Delight by meeting specs with minimal variability and on-time output.

You will set budgets, drive Lean/Six Sigma initiatives, and develop talent. The role reports to the Director of Manufacturing and requires deep experience in chemical/rubber manufacturing.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering or related field.
• 10+ years of manufacturing experience.
• 5+ years in Operations or Plant Management.
• Strong background in chemical, rubber, polymer, or specialty chemicals manufacturing.

Responsibilities

• Champion a strong safety culture with zero-incident mindset and ensure compliance with all regulations.
• Lead plant operations including EHS, production, maintenance, engineering, quality, cost, internal controls, HR, and other functions.
• Ensure consistent production of high-quality products meeting customer specs and ISO 9001 framework.
• Develop and manage plant budgets and optimize cost efficiency while maintaining safety and quality.
• Lead, coach, and develop department managers and plant staff; foster a high-performance culture.
• Oversee preventive and predictive maintenance programs and asset reliability.
• Promote Lean manufacturing, waste reduction, and process optimization; drive continuous improvement.

Skills

Leadership

Plant management

Lean manufacturing

Quality management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering

Job description

About Arclin

You can find Arclin everywhere. Our technologies make homes and transportation safer, help crops flourish, keep water clean, protect first responders and members of the military, and preserve the purity of essential pharmaceuticals. These vital, everyday products can't fail, and we’re here to give the world an extra layer of performance and peace of mind.

With ~4,000 team members across more than 30 global manufacturing facilities, we operate with the scale to make a global impact and the agility to solve complex challenges at the molecular level. Rooted in scientific discovery and innovation, Arclin’s materials redefine performance across industries - from Firepoint®’s patented intumescent technology that helps stall flames and save lives to the iconic Kevlar® and Nomex® brands trusted to protect those who serve, strengthen aerospace and industrial systems, and perform where reliability and safety are top of mind.

As we expand our mission‑critical materials portfolio and shape the next era of performance technologies, we’re looking for people who want to grow, lead, and solve the challenges others can’t. Together, we’ll advance the innovations that keep the world moving. Because at Arclin, our people are truly Vital Beyond Measure.

About The Role

The Plant Manager is accountable and responsible for the overall leadership, safety, operation, and performance of a rubber and dispersants manufacturing facility. This role ensures “safe operations environment while delivering; the lowest manufacturing cost possible; meeting the product specification with lowest possible product variability; producing the order on time and complete quantities (i.e. “Customer Delight). Included is the responsibility for establishing the budget and goals for the plant and for managing performance against the budget and goals.

The Plant Manager drives operational excellence, develops talent, and aligns plant performance with company objectives according to Arclin’s World Class Leadership principles. The position reports to the Director of Manufacturing.

Key Responsibilities

Safety & Environmental Compliance

• Champion a strong safety culture with zero-incident mindset.
• Ensure operations and all activities at the plant are carried out in compliance with Arclin policies and procedures.
• Ensure compliance with OSHA, EPA, and all applicable local, state, and federal regulations.
• Oversee safe handling of chemicals, raw materials, and hazardous substances typical in rubber and dispersant manufacturing.
• Ensure incident investigations and corrective actions are complete.

Operational Leadership

• Lead all plant operations including EHS, production, maintenance, engineering, quality, cost, internal controls, HR, and other functions in accordance with Model Plant standards.
• Ensure efficient manufacturing processes for rubber compounds and dispersant products.
• Develop and execute production plans to meet customer demand, quality standards, and cost targets.
• Monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) such as throughput, yield, downtime, and scrap/rework rates.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives (Lean, Six Sigma, or similar methodologies).
• Drive employee engagement in developing and executing beneficial outcomes, while building the capability of team members.

Quality Management

• Ensure consistent production of high-quality products that meet customer specifications and regulatory requirements.
• Collaborate with Quality Assurance to maintain and improve quality systems (ISO 9001 framework).
• Address customer complaints and implement root cause analysis and corrective actions.

Financial & Business Performance

• Develop and manage plant budgets (labor, materials, maintenance, and capital expenditures).
• Optimize cost efficiency without compromising safety or quality.
• Support forecasting, inventory management, and supply chain optimization.
• Identify opportunities for cost savings and process improvements.

People Leadership & Development

• Lead, coach, and develop department managers and plant employees.
• Build a high-performance culture focused on results, accountability, engagement, problem solving and continuous learning.
• Support workforce planning, hiring, training, and performance management.

Maintenance & Reliability

• Oversee preventive and predictive maintenance programs.
• Ensure equipment reliability to minimize downtime and maximize operational efficiency.
• Support capital projects, process upgrades, and new equipment installations.

Continuous Improvement & Innovation

• Promote Lean manufacturing, waste reduction, and process optimization.
• Identify and implement automation or process improvements specific to chemical/rubber production systems.
• Support new product introductions and process scalability.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or related field required.
• 10+ years of manufacturing experience, with at least 5 years in an Operations or Plant Management role.
• Strong background in chemical, rubber, polymer, or specialty chemicals manufacturing required.
• Experience with dispersants, additives, compounding, or batch/continuous processing preferred.