Technical Engineering Manager – PET Thermoforming & Sheet Extrusion
Location: Fergus, Ontario
Reporting To: Chief Executive Officer
Company Overview
Krystalite GT Inc. is a Canadian-owned and operated manufacturer specializing in sustainable packaging solutions — including PET cups and lids (brands: Revive, Refresh) and rPET sheet rolls (Reborn). Serving food & beverage and industrial packaging markets, we are committed to innovation, operational excellence, and environmental stewardship.
Role Purpose
The Technical Engineering Manager is a senior plant leadership role responsible for the overall technical, engineering, and operational performance of the Fergus manufacturing facility.
This position provides strategic and hands-on leadership for PET sheet extrusion and thermoforming operations, engineering systems, preventive maintenance programs, OEE improvement initiatives, safety compliance, capital planning, and continuous improvement to ensure safe, efficient, and cost-effective production of high-quality packaging products.
Key Responsibilities
1. Plant Operations & Technical Leadership
- Provide full operational oversight of PET sheet extrusion, thermoforming, cups/lids production, finishing, and packaging operations.
- Lead all technical aspects of material handling systems, extrusion process parameters, sheet quality control, and thermoforming optimization.
- Ensure production targets (volume, yield, uptime, cost per unit) are achieved while maintaining food-grade quality standards.
- Develop, implement, and continuously improve SOPs for extrusion and downstream operations.
2. OEE & Performance Management
- Develop, monitor, and continuously improve Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE – Availability, Performance, Quality).
- Establish plant-level KPIs aligned with corporate performance objectives.
- Conduct structured root cause analysis (RCA) for downtime, scrap, and process inefficiencies.
- Drive productivity and efficiency improvement initiatives using Lean, Six Sigma, TPM, or similar methodologies.
- Lead scrap reduction, yield improvement, labor productivity enhancement, and energy optimization programs.
3. Maintenance & Engineering Systems
- Oversee a comprehensive Preventive and Predictive Maintenance (PM) program.
- Ensure strict adherence to PM schedules to reduce unplanned downtime.
- Lead maintenance budgeting, spare parts planning, and asset lifecycle management.
- Oversee machine guarding, lockout/tagout compliance, and equipment safety audits.
- Lead evaluation and execution of capital expenditure projects, equipment upgrades, and process automation initiatives.
4. Quality & Sustainability
- Ensure finished goods consistently meet internal and customer specifications for dimensions, strength, clarity, and multi-color printing (1–8 color capability).
- Collaborate with Engineering, Sales, and Supply Chain on new product introductions and process optimization.
- Lead sustainability initiatives focused on:
- Waste reduction
- Scrap control
- Energy efficiency
- Responsible material utilization
5. Health, Safety & Regulatory Compliance
- Ensure full compliance with the Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) and all applicable Canadian regulations.
- Maintain high safety standards including machine guarding, LOTO compliance, and internal safety audits.
- Lead incident investigations and implement corrective and preventive actions.
- Foster a strong culture of safety, accountability, and operational discipline across all shifts.
6. Leadership & Organizational Development
- Lead and develop engineering, maintenance, production, quality, and logistics teams.
- Build strong technical capability within the plant through structured training and mentorship.
- Drive performance management, workforce engagement, and succession planning.
- Act as a key member of the senior leadership team contributing to long-term strategic planning.
7. Financial & Strategic Accountability
- Monitor actual vs. budget performance and implement corrective actions.
- Drive cost-reduction initiatives while maintaining product quality and service levels.
- Provide structured performance reporting to executive leadership.
- Execute additional operational, technical, and strategic initiatives as assigned to support overall plant performance and business objectives.
Key Qualifications
Essential
- 12+ years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience in plastics manufacturing (Canada/USA).
- Proven track record of improving OEE in high-volume manufacturing environments.
- Strong technical expertise in extrusion and thermoforming process optimization.
- Experience leading engineering and maintenance teams.
- Strong financial acumen including budgeting, capital planning, and cost control.
- Deep understanding of Ontario industrial safety regulations (OHSA).
- Bachelor’s degree in mechanical, Electrical, Polymer, Industrial, or related Engineering field.
Preferred
- Experience in food-grade or consumer packaging manufacturing.
- Experience with recycled PET (rPET) sheet operations.
- Lean / Six Sigma certification.
- Master’s degree in Engineering or Operations Management.
- Bilingual (English + French) is an asset.
Working Conditions
- Full-time, on-site leadership role at the Fergus, Ontario facility.
- Occasional travel to suppliers or customer sites as required.
Compensation & Benefits
- Competitive senior-level base salary (commensurate with experience)
- Performance bonus tied to plant KPIs and OEE improvements
- Comprehensive benefits package
- Paid time off
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
Pay: $120,000.00-$140,000.00 per year
Work Location: In person
