James Covert

• Responsible for chemical processes, equipment, day-to-day production, quality issues, and process optimization.
• Ensures quality assurance testing is performed on incoming raw materials and finished products.
• Maintains organized, detailed records of material testing results for auditing purposes, for both internal and external bodies.
• Maintains strict chemical stock control, including writing and enforcing stocking policies that are in line with company requirements, which also include FIFO on material usage and forecasting models.
• Implements, maintains, reviews, and administers standard operating procedures for chemical areas, including generating new procedures for the laboratory and laydown production areas.
• Ensures chemical areas are in compliance with chemical safety and environmental responsibilities, along with relevant risk assessments.
• Assists in new product development efforts and product/material testing.
• Provides support to manufacturing and operations with process and product improvement projects.
• Provides day-to-day troubleshooting and technical assistance to the site local operations team.
• Develops, monitors, and effectively uses control charts and operational indicators, such as SPC, setup sheets, and check sheets.
• Prepares oral and written technical and progress reports regarding KPIs.
• Conducts audits of laboratory and laydown areas to drive housekeeping, record keeping, and continual process improvements.
• Maintains a calibration program for tank farm, lab, and laydown equipment.
• Ensures site-wide compliance with all city, state, and federal permit regulations regarding chemicals.
• Manage the Lab Technician to ensure that all duties and responsibilities are followed according to established procedures.

• Maintains an inventory of chemical components necessary for daily production demands. This includes ordering, transferring, offloading, and delivering chemicals to production lines.

• Coordinates with the production department on chemical inventory and orders needed consumables.

Tests incoming chemicals and post-cure samples for quality, as per divisional SOPs, and files test results and chemical delivery records.

Prepares and tests blends, following divisional guidelines, and reports any inconsistencies to the site Chemical Engineer.

• Uses a forklift to transfer totes, pallets, or drums to the line to supply or replenish material.

• Assists the production line with chemical and process equipment-related issues.

• Handles hazardous chemicals and wastes in compliance with environmental guidelines.

• Assumes duties and responsibilities of a Chemical Engineer in his or her absence. Includes supervising the mold area, enforcing SOPs, and PMs.

• Maintains a clean and safe work environment.

• Performs quality control analysis on post-cure foam line samples and ensures proper record keeping on reports for all tests.

• Oversees the operation of the line at the laydown. Ensures that the product is manufactured within the specifications (chemical and engineering specs).
• Assures that quality standards are met for all workstation/cell output.
• Records all required data, and then inputs the required data into the computer.
• Ensures that all material is properly labeled and placed within proper staging/storage areas.
• Identifies any non-conforming product to the Production Supervisor and Chemical Engineer.
• Informs the Supervisor/Chemical Engineer, and if necessary, stops production when out of spec to ensure the highest quality of the product.
• Adheres to all SOPs online and consciously reports or acts on any inconsistencies.
• Complies with all PPE requirements and ensures associates do the same.
• Completes all preventative maintenance requirements within the work cell.
• Reports infractions to the Production Manager, Supervisor, and Chemical Engineer.
• Contribute to an ongoing culture of cleanliness and order within the workstation.
• Responsible for training new laydown operators.
• Works along with the chemical department for new equipment setup and production trials.
• Stock count of necessary supplies and equipment needed for the workstation/cell.
• Responsible for reporting tests related to the manufacture of a quality product.
• Report and work to fix any key findings and chemical/process issues.
• Communicate with other teams and departments within the business.