Kenneth J. Gruden
Westland,USA
Summary
Production Manager/Supervisor who drives successfully and directs high producing teams while developing employee loyalty and safety. Experienced in using lean manufacturing to reduce costs and streamline production processes, managed production in a union/non-union setting and focused on facilitating the creation of quality products to meet customers’ expectations and achieve company goals.
Professional with comprehensive expertise in branch management, focused on driving operational efficiency and developing high-performing teams. Adept at strategic planning, financial oversight, and fostering strong client relationships. Known for adaptability, collaboration, and delivering consistent results in dynamic environments. Skilled in leadership, problem-solving, and team development.
Overview
25
25
years of professional experience
Work History
Regional Branch Manager
Staffline
04.2023 - Current
- Manage a team of 8 Recruiters, 1 Outreach Recruiter and 1 Office Supervisor.
- Manage and respond to client requests regarding personnel orders for staff
- Maintain client fill rates at acceptable levels and manage delivery of reporting to client expectations
- Develop strong working relationships with strategic client contacts to gain insight and better manage client expectations
- Ensure compliance with all company policies and procedures
- Issue corrective actions and improvement plans as required to improve customer service.
- Develop and manage branch marketing plan including, but not limited to, advertising, signage, social media postings and development of agency partners to assist in recruiting efforts
- Regularly evaluate operation and implementation improvements, corrections and unique ideas to allow for continuous growth and development of staff and client base
- Review office/Customer payroll daily and closed at the end of each week.
Production Supervisor Stamping
Autokiniton-Oakland Stamping
01.2023 - 04.2023
- Manage 2 team leaders along with 4 die setters and a production team of 30 in a high-volume union stamping plant as a Tier 1 supplier.
- Daily shift start-up meeting to cover safety/quality & production from the day before and assign staffing to the press based on skill and shipping requirements and training.
- Perform hourly walk with the team leaders to assure all team members are following the safety policy along with quality and production and reviewing press set-up books to assure presses are running to standard along with reviewing all downtime and working with the set-up team and the die room to ensure all downtime has been addressed along with meeting our change-over time.
- Determined schedules, sequences, and assignments for work activities, based on work priority, quantity of equipment, and skill of personnel. Monitored employee work levels and reviewed work performance.
- Ensured completion of required training for all employees on equipment operations, work Instruction and safety procedures. Recommended measures to improve production methods, equipment performance and quality of product.
- Increased efficiency from 75% to 90% by creating teamwork, positive work environment along with treating all associates fairly, equally and respectfully which reduces turnover and increases production.
Continuous Improvement Manager
Autokiniton – Oakland Stamping / Euclid
03.2022 - 01.2023
- Managed a team project to review each workstation on press W730 to have the same numbers of welds, balance workload, reduce tips changeover to shift start up, increase production by 20% reduce downtime by 30% eliminating 3rd shift, labor saving of 200K per year.
- Worked with the Maintenance team to change press lube to a new vendor, collected 3 months of data, we seen a 25% reduction in lubed used in the presses, better quality with the parts along with reducing over spray lube on the floor which improved safety and a cost savings 5K.
- Managed a team project to review bulk packing from the press room, we identified 20 parts being repacked, purchases 4 tote stackers to be placed on back of the presses this reduce press room staffing by 4 along with reducing the bulk staffing by 4 manpower were moved other departments as needed and a cost savings of 200K per year.
- Manage and perform internal CI AOS audits, manage associates’ actions.
- Work with the engineering team on all new line set-up to ensure process follow, meet customer safety, quality and production standard.
APU 1 Manager
Webasto Roof System
04.2021 - 08.2022
- Promoted to Manager in April.
- Managed a team of 1 Area Manager, 1 Mechanical engineer, 1 process engineer, 3 supervisors, 6 team leader and 64 production Colleagues.
- Developed and coach 1st shift Supervisor to take on the Area Manager role.
- Developed and designed work instructions for the Encapsulation.
- Implemented standard 5S practices for start, during and after shift
- Implemented 2.5 days of safety stock to ensure the customer shipments are met.
- Through continuous improvement we have reduced line staffing from 4 to 3 per cell, meeting the 10 parts per hour, we went from 58 hours work week down to 40 hours work week with the option of flexing to 10 hours if needed to meet customer requirements. Labor saving on average of 85K per month.
- Held Daily KPI meetings with Managers, Engineers and Skill trades.
- Have weekly team meetings with the engineering team to review Safety, quality and production and to cover goals along with upcoming projects and the status on current projects.
- Increased plant safety by implementing a safety team to perform weekly safety walk.
- Reduce GP12 from 8 Associates down to 2 by working with the quality team and holding the production team accountable for their quality in a positive manner.
APU 2 Manager
Webasto Roof System
08.2021 - 03.2022
- I was promoted to work on the Ford Bronco Hard Top Product Launch to the Sandwich and the Thermo Room.
- Daily Meeting with the Ford Management team to report on safety, quality and efficiency on the Bronco hard-top along with the countermeasures on improvements.
- Manage a team of 1 Area Manager, 3 Supervisors, 12 Team leaders, 18 production workers across 3 shifts (A, B, C shifts) along with engineers, mechanical engineers, Skill trades for the Ford Bronco Hard top.
- Held Daily KPI meetings with Managers, Engineers and Skill trades.
- Have weekly team meetings with the engineering team to review Safety, quality and production and to cover goals along with upcoming projects and the status on current projects.
- Developed and designed work instructions for the sandwich room production.
- Implemented standard 5S practices for start, during and after shift
- Eliminated 12 outside contractors for Sunday deep cleaning of the Sandwich machine and cross train the Sandwich team of 6 to perform cleaning a cost saving of 20K per month.
- Eliminated temporary staffing of 26 in our quality check processes and moved it inside the production line with full-time employees 8, with cost savings of 96,000 a week
- Eliminated 6 outsides skill traded contractors by cross training Full time skill trade cost savings of 100K per month.
- Implemented color code plaques to be placed on finish goods in the sandwich area to better identify the inventory FIFO system to reduce unnecessary scrap with a cost savings of $10,000 a month
- Implemented daily inventory count of each part numbers, the counts are placed into an excel calculator which will provide how many days of inventory we had on hand based off what PHC was running and the Sandwich room will schedule production, this helped reduce shifts hours from 4 days 12 hours to 4 days 10 hours cost saving of around 24K per month.
APU 2 Manager
Webasto Roof System
08.2021 - 03.2022
- Managed 3 team leaders, 18 production workers across 3 shifts of A, B, C work schedule of 4 days 12-hour shift.
- Daily team meeting to review safety, quality and production with the Management team.
- Daily inventory is taken to ensure we have 2.5 days of safety stock on hand to meet PHC production needs.
- Thermo presses could outproduce PHC presses by 25% with this data C shift was eliminated and the C team moved to other departments as need this also helped reduce shifts hours from 4 days 12 hours to 4 days 10 hours saving of around 40K per month.
- Developed and designed work instructions for the Thermo room production.
- Implemented standard 5S practices for start, during and after shift
Area Manager
Webasto Roof System
01.2021 - 04.2021
- Managed a team of 3 Supervisors, 6 Team Leaders and 80 production colleagues across 3 shifts 8 production lines, high volume production facility that produces Sunroofs.
- Implemented Daily start up meeting with the production team to cover safety, quality and production.
- Worked with Supervisors and Team leaders to improve daily safety, quality and production by following the process.
- Eliminated the 3rd shift due to short staffing and moved staffing to 2nd shift to have 2 full shifts of production.
- Worked daily on the production line with teams to work on meeting hourly production goal of 10 per hour this would be on both shifts.
- 5 associates per production Line by working with the team we reduced it down to 4 per line.
Production Supervisor
TG Fluids
07.2019 - 12.2020
- Managed a team of 40 employees, 3 team leads across 40 automated, manual cells in a high-volume production facility that produces gas tanks lines, vapor lines for the big three as well as foreign automakers
- Maintained workflow by monitoring the steps of process and observed equipment and personnel
- Documented and submitted employee attendance and work hours
- Noted equipment problems and requested maintenance support to minimize downtime
- Delegated tasks to multiple employees while maintaining efficient workplace
- Trained, mentored, and supported a high-performing team, providing regular performance review, feedback and coaching in deficient areas
- Resolved team member concerns and problems while facilitating solutions and forwarding complex matters to higher authorities
Manufacturing Supervisor
Flexible Metal, Inc.
10.2017 - 07.2019
- Managed a team of 29-40 in a high-volume manufacturing plant that produces manifolds for automotive, marine, government & locomotive.
- Determined schedules, sequences, and assignments for work activities, based on work priority, quantity of equipment, and skill of personnel.
- Monitored employee work levels and reviewed work performance.
- Ensured completion of required training for all employees on equipment operations, work Instruction and safety procedures.
- Recommended measures to improve production methods, equipment performance and quality of product.
- Daily payroll and administrative correction action as needed.
- Investigated accidents or injuries and prepared reports of findings.
- Lead or participated in numerous improvement projects (Kaizen, 5S, production reporting etc.).
Production Supervisor
TG Fluids
06.2015 - 10.2017
- Managed a team of 40 employees, 3 team leads across 40 automated, manual cells in a high volume production facility that produces gas tanks lines, vapor lines for the big three as well as foreign auto makers.
- Cross trained the teams in other zones to use the man-power to its full capacity along with reducing overtime by 10%.
- Managing daily reporting for production and implementing lean manufacturing methodology
- Reduced change-over time by 25% by changing the Kanban order to run the same parts for different customers.
- Coached, mentored team leaders on effective communication along with conflict resolution.
- Lead a Kaizen team for production improvement on a cell that was producing 85% after Kaizen increased to 95%.
- Performed daily stand-up shift meeting to cover safety, quality and production efficiency.
Senior Production Supervisor
Technicolor
08.2008 - 03.2015
- Managed a team of seven supervisors and over 300 employees, across 34 production lines while maintaining safety, quality, and production requirements
- Responsible for facilitating strong employee relations and development through coaching and annual reviews, made and implemented employment decisions, resolved employee issues through problem resolution
- Maintained safe and clean work environment by educating and directing personnel on use of all control points, equipment and resources, maintained compliance with established policies and procedures
- Completed production plan by scheduling, assigning proper personnel to accomplish set production standards, established priorities, monitored progress, and revised schedule to meet customers’ demand
Production Supervisor
Technicolor
01.2005 - 01.2008
- Supervised labor planning, direct to line kitting (DTL), training team, and Quality control
- Labor planning team assisted with shift start up to reduce down time and worked directly with the supervisors when it came to scheduling changes to provide or reduce staffing to meet labor costs
- Oversaw a team of ten for direct to line kitting (corrugated and cases), assured materials were delivered to line on time with zero shortage/overage and performed monthly inventory
- Lead a team of five trainers to evaluate skill levels across 34 lines to company standards and established a training matrix to help in annual reviews, counseling and promotions
- Managed a quality control team consisting of ten, set and implemented skill level expectations to meet customers’ requirements and company goals, communicated defects/fail audits to managers on down and assisted with plans on correcting any defects
Production Supervisor
Technicolor
01.2000 - 01.2005
- Supervised new DVD expansion, 15 lines from auto, semi, manual
- Presented change for direct to line kitting, reduced kit quantity from complete work order to five finished skids quantity which resulted in reduced changeover time from one hour to 15 minutes
- Played a key role in developing and implementing labor planning roster program, corrected number of associates to lines to meet production standards, ordered temporary associates on daily basis
- Implemented cross training to skill level, full time/temporary, reduced turnover by 50%
- Responsible for recruiting, attendance at job fairs, interviewing, hiring and releasing employees for poor work performance
- Established production standards with lean manufacturing to increase manual builds from 5,000 to 18,000 and automation from 10,000 to 32,000
Education
No Degree - Business Accountancy
Schoolcraft College
Livonia, MISkills
- Operations management
- Staff development
- Sales management
- Branch operations management
- Strong team-builder
- Decision-making
- Relationship building and management
- Goals and performance
- Verbal/written communication
- Coaching and mentoring
- Conflict resolution
- Team player
Professional Development
Interaction Management, Kaizen Facilitator, Constraint Management, Corrective Action, ISO 9000, Lean Leadership, 8 Step Problem Solving, Process Improvement, Substance Abuse Training, System Thinking, Value Stream Management, American Management Association Shipping and Receiving Seminar and Ford Motor Company Lean Manufacturing Seminar, ASE supervisor training, train the trainer, HILO trainer. Ergonomic training.
Timeline
Regional Branch Manager
Staffline
04.2023 - Current
Production Supervisor Stamping
Autokiniton-Oakland Stamping
01.2023 - 04.2023
Continuous Improvement Manager
Autokiniton – Oakland Stamping / Euclid
03.2022 - 01.2023
APU 2 Manager
Webasto Roof System
08.2021 - 03.2022
APU 2 Manager
Webasto Roof System
08.2021 - 03.2022
APU 1 Manager
Webasto Roof System
04.2021 - 08.2022
Area Manager
Webasto Roof System
01.2021 - 04.2021
Production Supervisor
TG Fluids
07.2019 - 12.2020
Manufacturing Supervisor
Flexible Metal, Inc.
10.2017 - 07.2019
Production Supervisor
TG Fluids
06.2015 - 10.2017
Senior Production Supervisor
Technicolor
08.2008 - 03.2015
Production Supervisor
Technicolor
01.2005 - 01.2008
Production Supervisor
Technicolor
01.2000 - 01.2005
No Degree - Business Accountancy
Schoolcraft College
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