Production Manager at Guardian Electric Manufacturing Co. – Woodstock, Illinois

About Kelco Industries:

Kelco Industries is a market leader in cost-effective, high performance, custom engineered components for a wide variety of industries. We invest in the latest technologies and top talent, and because we are privately held, we answer only to our customers – so we can make fast decisions that move our business and our customers forward.

Kelco is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. We further are committed to considering all qualified individuals with disabilities and will provide reasonable accommodation as needed throughout the hiring process.

Kelco offers a competitive benefits package, including Health, Dental, Vision, Disability, and Life insurance.

General Job Description

The Production Manager is responsible for overseeing daily manufacturing operations for our precision-welded products in our Flex-Weld division. Supports production of flexible metal hose, bellows, expansion joints, and compensators used across multiple industries. Ensure production targets are met while maintaining high standards for quality, safety, delivery, and cost control. Leads production teams, coordinates resources, and drives continuous improvement across fabrication, forming, and welding processes.

Essential Functions

• Demonstrate safety leadership by setting expectations, enforcing compliance with OSHA and company policies, and intervening immediately to eliminate unsafe conditions or behaviors.
• Plan, coordinate, and supervise daily production activities for sheet metal fabrication, forming, and precision welding operations.
• Ensure efficient production of bellows and compensator products in compliance with engineering specifications, customer requirements, and quality standards.
• Drive on-time delivery by identifying and resolving production delays, resource constraints, and workflow disruptions.
• Manage production schedules, labor allocation, and workflow to meet on-time delivery commitments.
• Monitor and improve welding processes (TIG, laser, or other precision welding methods) to ensure repeatability and compliance with welding procedures.
• Partner with Engineering and Quality teams to support new product introductions, process improvements, and corrective actions.
• Track and report key performance indicators including productivity, scrap, rework, efficiency, and labor utilization.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives using Lean manufacturing, 5S, and root cause analysis.
• Support inventory control, material flow, and coordination with Purchasing and Scheduling.
• Enforce quality standards, inspection requirements, documentation, and traceability where required.
• Lead, coach, and develop production supervisors, leads, welders, fabricators, and support staff.

Education / Experience Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in manufacturing, Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field preferred; equivalent experience considered.
• 5+ years of production or manufacturing leadership experience, preferably in sheet metal or precision welding environments
• Strong working knowledge of sheet metal fabrication, forming, and welding processes.
• Experience with precision-welded products such as bellows, expansion joints, or compensators strongly preferred.
• Familiarity with weld procedures, weld qualifications, and quality standards.
• Proven ability to lead teams, manage priorities, and meet production deadlines.
• Proficient with computers, ERP/MRP systems, and standard manufacturing metrics

Competency

• Safety Leadership and Awareness – Ability to identify, correct, and prevent unsafe conditions while promoting a strong safety culture.
• Production Leadership and Motivation – Ability to lead, motivate, and hold production teams accountable to meet safety, quality, delivery, and cost objectives.
• Technical and Manufacturing Expertise - Ability to understand and apply sheet metal fabrication, forming, and precision welding processes.
• Quality and Compliance Focus –Ability to ensure adherence to specifications, procedures, and quality standards, and to drive corrective actions when issues arise.
• Planning, Execution, and Flexibility – Ability to plan and execute production schedules effectively while adapting to changing priorities, constraints, and business needs.
• Analytical Problem Solving – Ability to analyze data, identify root causes, and implement practical solutions to production, quality, or efficiency challenges.
• Communication and Assertiveness – Ability to communicate clearly and confidently across all levels of the organization using the spoken word to make and defend sound decisions.
• Accountability, Reliability, and Ownership – Ability to take responsibility for outcomes, demonstrate dependable follow-through, and maintain a strong work ethic.
• Continuous Improvement Mindset - Ability to drive efficiency, reduce waste, and support process improvements through employee engagement and improvement initiatives.

Starting at 75,000.00 USD