Production Manager

ARAUCO - North America; Grayling (MI); On-site; USD 95,000 - 125,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health plans

Tuition reimbursement

Retirement planning

Bonus or profit sharing eligibility

General well-being benefits

Job summary

ARAUCO is seeking a Production Manager for our Grayling, MI site. The role leads Safety, Environmental Compliance, Quality, Production and Cost to maximize profitability in a safe lamination operation.

You will drive continuous improvement, manage the team, and own KPIs such as Uptime and Capacity while ensuring compliance with all regulations and standards across the plant. This is an onsite leadership position with travel as needed.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Manufacturing Operations or similar field preferred.
• Direct leadership of people with 3+ years manufacturing experience; 5+ years preferred.
• Strong safety and quality leadership with accountability.
• Experience driving continuous improvement using data.
• People management, empowerment, and cross-mill communications.
• Budgeting and key metrics management experience.
• Experience with systems to track business results; SAP preferred.
• Willing to obtain forklift license; able to travel as needed.

Responsibilities

• Monitor performance and resolve operational, manufacturing, and maintenance problems to control costs and delays.
• Own development of lamination product recipes and customer trials.
• Share data with other mills and enforce best practices to reduce downtime.
• Review orders to plan department operations and delivery dates.
• Hire and develop staff; evaluate performance for safe, effective production.
• Develop Quality Improvement Process reports to prevent repeat issues.
• Develop training programs to maximize plant performance and safety.
• Provide a clean, safe work environment and ensure housekeeping standards.
• Develop/Revise standard operating practices and ensure compliance.
• Plan posture based on product mix, staffing, and equipment capabilities.
• Own KPIs: Uptime, A-Grade, Speed, Paper Loss, COGM, Capacity.
• Liaise with mill TFL operations and sales to move the business forward.
• Plan, lead, and participate in outages; manage quality for TFL products.
• Approve time for direct reports.

Skills

Leadership

Safety leadership

Quality management

Continuous improvement

Budgeting

Team building

Mechanical troubleshooting

Electrical troubleshooting

SAP

Forklift

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Manufacturing Operations

Job description

Looking for a rewarding career with a company that values people, growth, sustainability, and teamwork? Join our Grayling team as a Production Manager!

This role is located onsite at our Grayling manufacturing site. This position leads the Safety, Environmental Compliance, Quality, Production and Cost as it is related to the lamination process to achieve maximum profitability in a safe environment.

What We Are Looking For

• Bachelor’s degree in Manufacturing Operations or similar field strongly preferred
• Minimum 3 years of manufacturing experience, including direct leadership of people, 5 years preferred
• Strong Safety and Quality Leadership Skills. An individual who can effectively clarify expectations and hold personnel accountable with a positive / constructive influencing approach.
• Proven track record of driving continuous improvement; Acts on data and facts to create ideal outcomes.
• Demonstrated people management skills, including team building, empowering employees and effective mill-wide communications
• Budgeting and key metric management experience
• Experience utilizing a variety of systems (electronic) used to manage and track business results.
• Demonstrates strong mechanical and electrical troubleshooting skills
• Strong ability to adapt and change with the market and business needs, as well as strong time management skills
• Strong knowledge of SAP or equivalent preferred
• Willing and able to obtain a forklift license
• Ability and willingness to travel to support the business as required

What We Offer

• An attractive compensation package with either bonus or profit/gain sharing eligibility for every role
• Health plans with options that meet your needs, including a wellness program, gym reimbursement, and additional benefits such as pet insurance, legal insurance, employer-paid and voluntary life insurance, and more
• Paid maternity and paternity leave, a competitive vacation package, and company and floating holidays designed to support your work-life balance
• Retirement planning options, including generous employer contributions
• Opportunities to learn and develop, including a tuition reimbursement program

In This Role, You Would

• Monitors performance and resolves operational, manufacturing, and maintenance problems to ensure minimum costs and prevent operational delays
• Owns the development of lamination product recipes and customer trials, as well as lamination paper storage
• Exchange information and data with other mills in the corporation and enforce best practices to reduce and manage lamination process downtime
• Reviews TFL orders or schedules to ascertain product data such as types, quantities, and specifications of products and scheduled delivery dates in order to plan department operations
• Manage assigned staff including hiring, development, performance evaluations, etc. to ensure proper execution of all production related activities in a safe and effective manner
• Coordinates with area owners to develop Quality Improvement Process reports (QIP’s) to ensure quality issues are not repeated
• Manage and continuously develop departmental training programs to maximize plant performance while complying with all site, corporate, local, state and federal regulations
• Provide and communicate a safe and clean work environment by conforming to required safety and housekeeping standards
• Develops or revises standard operational and working practices and observes workers to ensure compliance with standards
• Responsible for developing the ideal operating posture given product mix, staffing knowledge, and equipment capabilities
• Owner of essential KPIs such as Uptime, A-Grade, Speed, Paper Loss, COGM, and Capacity.
• Liaison between mill TFL operations and sales; can communicate and solve problems effectively to move the TFL business forward
• Plans, leads, and participates in monthly and yearly outages
• Owner of outgoing TFL product quality; Able to develop, communicate, train, and enforce quality standards
• Owner of direct report time approval

About Us

At ARAUCO, we’re more than a global leader in sustainable wood products—we’re a team driven by innovation, environmental stewardship, and strong core values. Committed to responsible forestry and quality craftsmanship, we create products that shape industries and protect the planet. Sustainability is central to everything we do—from responsible forestry to reducing environmental impact, we are dedicated to preserving natural resources for future generations.

Grow your career with purpose and help us shape a better future—one product, one idea, and one team at a time.

Arauco is committed to creating an inclusive culture across the organization. Arauco is an equal opportunity employer to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law.

Additionally, we demonstrate that commitment by preventing and removing barriers for persons with disabilities. Where it is not possible to remove barriers, Arauco will make efforts to accommodate persons with disabilities in a timely, effective and suitable manner. If you require any accommodations during the recruitment process, please let us know.