Tooling Manager

WTL Wheatland Tube, LLC; Rochelle (IL); On-site; USD 126,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation

Tuition assistance

Bonus plan

401(k) with company match

Immediate vesting

Comprehensive medical and dental

Job summary

WTL Wheatland Tube, LLC is seeking a Tooling Manager to lead the tooling department and partner with Production and Maintenance to drive safety, quality, and efficiency across all mill operations.

You will oversee tooling availability, inventory, design improvements, mill setups, and capital expenditures, while mentoring technicians and advancing continuous improvement initiatives that strengthen performance and product integrity on the shop floor.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of pipe and tube mill experience.
• Experience with mill setup and tooling in a manufacturing environment.
• Strong mechanical aptitude and troubleshooting abilities.
• Experience designing, modifying, and improving tooling.
• Ability to interpret blueprints and technical drawings.
• Strong measurement, precision, and problem-solving skills.
• Experience managing tooling inventory and procurement.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications.
• Strong communication, leadership, and organizational skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively across Production, Maintenance, and Engineering teams.
• Preferred Education: Associate's degree or technical training in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Technology, Industrial Technology, or a related field.

Responsibilities

• Lead all activities of the tooling department while promoting a strong safety culture and ensuring compliance with company safety policies and OSHA regulations.
• Ensure tooling is properly maintained, readily available, and in acceptable operating condition.
• Coordinate the procurement of tooling, including saw blades, inductors, impeders, and other tooling components.
• Manage tooling inventory and implement cost-effective purchasing strategies.
• Design, modify, and improve tooling to support production requirements and optimize mill performance.
• Simplify tooling designs and setup processes to improve operator efficiency and ease of use.
• Develop and maintain tooling inventory tracking systems and documentation.
• Oversee mill setups to ensure accuracy, safety, and operational efficiency.
• Manage offline setup processes to ensure readiness for scheduled mill changes.
• Troubleshoot tooling and mill setup issues and implement corrective actions.
• Perform calibration and alignment of mill stands.
• Prepare mill settings for both production mills.
• Calculate strip widths for various tube sizes.
• Coordinate tooling regrinds and tooling maintenance activities.
• Provide technical guidance and support to operators and setup personnel.
• Partner with Production and Maintenance teams to resolve equipment and process issues.
• Manage tooling department capital expenditures and support budgeting activities.
• Train, mentor, and develop employees on tooling, setup, and best manufacturing practices.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives that improve productivity, quality, and operational performance.

Skills

Pipe and tube mill experience

Mill setup experience

Mechanical troubleshooting

Tooling design

Blueprint interpretation

Measurement precision

Tooling inventory management

Microsoft Office

Leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Associate's degree or technical training in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Technology, Industrial Technology, or related field

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

About the Role

The Tooling Manager is responsible for leading all aspects of the tooling department to support safe, efficient, and high-quality manufacturing operations. This role oversees tooling availability, inventory management, tooling design improvements, mill setup support, and capital expenditures while partnering closely with Production and Maintenance teams to optimize performance. The Tooling Manager also provides technical guidance, supports employee development, and drives continuous improvement initiatives that enhance safety, productivity, and operational excellence.

What You’ll Do

• Lead all activities of the tooling department while promoting a strong safety culture and ensuring compliance with company safety policies and OSHA regulations.
• Ensure tooling is properly maintained, readily available, and in acceptable operating condition.
• Coordinate the procurement of tooling, including saw blades, inductors, impeders, and other tooling components.
• Manage tooling inventory and implement cost-effective purchasing strategies.
• Design, modify, and improve tooling to support production requirements and optimize mill performance.
• Simplify tooling designs and setup processes to improve operator efficiency and ease of use.
• Develop and maintain tooling inventory tracking systems and documentation.
• Oversee mill setups to ensure accuracy, safety, and operational efficiency.
• Manage offline setup processes to ensure readiness for scheduled mill changes.
• Troubleshoot tooling and mill setup issues and implement corrective actions.
• Perform calibration and alignment of mill stands.
• Prepare mill settings for both production mills.
• Calculate strip widths for various tube sizes.
• Coordinate tooling regrinds and tooling maintenance activities.
• Provide technical guidance and support to operators and setup personnel.
• Partner with Production and Maintenance teams to resolve equipment and process issues.
• Manage tooling department capital expenditures and support budgeting activities.
• Train, mentor, and develop employees on tooling, setup, and best manufacturing practices.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives that improve productivity, quality, and operational performance.

What You’ll Bring

• 10+ years of pipe and tube mill experience.
• Experience with mill setup and tooling in a manufacturing environment.
• Strong mechanical aptitude and troubleshooting abilities.
• Experience designing, modifying, and improving tooling.
• Ability to interpret blueprints and technical drawings.
• Strong measurement, precision, and problem-solving skills.
• Experience managing tooling inventory and procurement.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications.
• Strong communication, leadership, and organizational skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively across Production, Maintenance, and Engineering teams.
• Preferred Education: Associate's degree or technical training in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Technology, Industrial Technology, or a related field.

Physical Requirements

Ability to stand and walk for extended periods during 8–12-hour shifts. Ability to bend, twist, stoop, kneel, crawl, push, and pull. Ability to reach in all directions. Ability to lift and carry up to 50 pounds. Ability to work in a manufacturing environment around moving equipment, noise, and varying temperatures.

Compensation

$126,000 - $160,000/Year

Benefits

Zekelman Industries offers competitive compensation and excellent benefits, including low-cost, high-quality medical and dental benefits. In addition, we have an amazing tuition assistance program, a bonus plan, a 401(k) plan with a generous company match, immediate vesting, and much more.

Equal Opportunity Employment

M/F/D/V