Kwaku Nuamah
East Orange,USA
Summary
Manufacturing Manager with extensive experience at Dr. Praeger's Sensible Foods, Inc., achieving a 20% increase in Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) through Lean methodologies. Skilled in operations management and team leadership, fostering continuous improvement and ensuring adherence to food safety standards. Proven ability to optimize production efficiency and enhance team performance.
Overview
10
10
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Manufacturing Manager
Dr. Praeger's Sensible Foods, Inc
Elmwood Park, NJ
07.2023 - Current
- Manage day-to-day operations in a USDA/FDA-regulated food manufacturing facility
- Ensure compliance with GMPs, HACCP, and food safety/quality standards
- Lead and develop production supervisors and frontline staff to meet operational goals
- Coordinate with QA, Sanitation, Maintenance, and Supply Chain to optimize plant performance
- Drive efficiency improvements using Lean principles and root cause problem-solving (RCPS)
- Monitor key metrics such as OEE, throughput, labor utilization, yield, and waste reduction
- Support product changeovers, scaling of new product launches, and seasonal planning
- Champion a safety-first culture and lead plant-level safety initiatives and audits
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams to implement process improvements and reduce downtime
Continuous Improvement Specialist
Dr. Praeger's Purely Sensible Food
Elmwood Park, NJ
04.2022 - 07.2023
- Built and managed Redzone Compliance and Production software.
- Championed the use of Redzone system by developing an improvement plan which increased OEE by 20 % in the first 3 months.
- Implemented Line-balancing, Equipment Optimization, and Lean Manufacturing principles on production lines to increase labor efficiency by 10 %.
- Led process improvement projects from start to finish using the DMAIC methodology in accordance with Six Sigma principles.
- Collaborated with Operations to improved product yields by 2-5 % by eliminating/reducing waste utilizing Lean principles and equipment modifications.
- Trained personnel on 5 Whys Technique, Fish-bone diagrams, and identification of different types of waste.
- Led as a catalyst for change, cultivating a culture of continuous improvement while actively driving employee engagement.
- Utilized S.I.C. (Short Interval Control) board, Poka-Yoke, 5-S, and other tools of lean manufacturing to increase throughput.
- Performed regular GEMBA facility inspections to address facility improvements, food & personnel safety hazards, and process improvements.
Packaging Manager
Dr. Praeger's Purely Sensible Food
Elmwood Park, NJ
08.2018 - 04.2022
- Managed job performance of supervisors, leads, and packaging associates to encourage steady and productive workflow.
- Counseled personnel by implementing company policies, procedures, work rules and administered disciplinary action when needed.
- Oversaw hiring processes / staffing request for over 100+ permanent and temporary staff.
- Minimized lags by leading and scheduling personnel, boosting morale and implementing new protocols.
- Applied lean principles to improve workflow and quality and reduce waste.
- Oversaw incoming packaging material and assisted in monitoring quality of outgoing products to comply with specifications.
- Assisted with quality and production for development improvements to support new packaging initiatives.
- Evaluated weekly production schedule and orders to arrange required materials.
- Anticipated and addressed production problems, material shortages, equipment malfunctions to minimize downtime.
- Kept KPI measurements on start-up times, WIP (work in progress), staffing shortages, and unplanned downtime based on equipment.
- Assisted in recommendations for improvements in processes / equipment PM's to increase efficiency of packaging process.
- Monitored packaging inventory in warehouse and maintain records of all physical transactions and prepare documents for shipment/storage.
Packaging Supervisor
Dr. Praeger's Purely Sensible Food
Elmwood Park, NJ
10.2017 - 08.2018
- Supervised activities of 50+ manual packagers and automatic packaging lines.
- Achieved production targets by maintaining high productivity levels and communicating with team members regarding orders and fulfillment.
- Maintained and ensure compliance to packaging schedule and assigned specific tasks to all employees and monitor all packing equipment and supplies.
- Labeled, recorded and inspected packaging to prepare for shipment / storage.
- Monitored team work performance and elevated production or personnel issues to management.
- Trained employees on standard operating procedures and new policies.
- Performed packaging tasks alongside team to demonstrate proper methods according to labor plan and assigned tasks.
- Developed strong team (T.E.A.M- together everyone achieves more) environment in department.
Machine Operator
Corbion
Totowa, NJ
08.2017 - 10.2017
- Calibrated, tested, and adjusted machine settings or controls in preparation for production operations.
- Responsible for product quality while maintaining company standards and processes.
- Operate blender and kettle machines while maintaining positive, clean and safe working environment.
- Performed palletization of finished goods.
- Follow all GMP's, Safety and Environmental regulations as well as company policies.
- Complete production reports to identify problems and maximize productivity.
- Attend regular team meetings which include effective communication of organizational and policy changes.
- Adhere to Lean Process Control Board procedures to ease communication at shift changes.
Packaging Supervisor
Spezia
Parsippany, NJ
09.2016 - 08.2017
- Supervised activities of 15+ manual packagers and automatic packaging lines.
- Supported new employees with training in proper processing, packaging, inventory management and cleaning.
- Set up machines (cleaning, calibration, and film routing) to start production lines.
- Controlled and adjusted machine settings (speed, weight, and print) to meet standards.
- Verified raw materials and change parts to semi-automated machine lines.
- Inspected measuring tools for production specification for manual production lines.
- Test production equipment for efficiency periodically.
- Addressed issues that may occur during shift to minimize downtime.
- Check output to identify any machine-related mistakes or flaws.
- Kept retains from production runs of approved and defective units for QA.
- Maintain activity logs along with supervising quality control workers on shift.
Packaging Supervisor
Hello Fresh
Linden, NJ
03.2015 - 01.2016
- Supervised job performance of 8 employees for overnight shift.
- Oversaw set-up and operation of multiple packaging machines to ensure accurate code dates and weights and that correct product is put into correct bags.
- Ensured that each bag is properly coded, dated and sealed with minimum amount of wasted product and supplies.
- Responsible for ensuring that all production staff follow GMP's during shift.
- Kept assigned machines and area clean and safe.
- Performed basic preventative maintenance on packaging machines, to include cleaning and changing knives/blades, pull-belts, tape machines, and rollers.
- Cleaned and sanitize lines during changeovers from one product to another.
- Responsible for inspection of conveyors and scales prior to line start-up and changeovers.
- In charge of maintaining shift schedule for employees to carry out workload for day and night shift.
Education
Marketing -
William Paterson University of New Jersey
Wayne, NJSkills
- Lean
- Nova time
- WINZ
- Reducing Waste
- Vicinity
- Operations Management
- Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
- CGMP
- Root Cause Analysis
- Jeff Net
- Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
- Communication skills
- Tableau - Less than 1 year
- 5S
- SAP
- Manufacturing
- Lean Manufacturing
- EPCG
- Continuous Improvement Projects
- Corrective Actions
- Calibration
- BI Console
- Complex Problem-Solving
- Microsoft Office
- Food safety compliance
- Root cause problem solving
- Team leadership
- Effective communication
- Conflict resolution
- Safety and quality standards
- Lean manufacturing techniques
- Waste reduction
Certification
- Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, 12/01/22
- Lean Specialist, 11/01/22
- Root Cause Analysis, 09/01/22
- Driver's License
- HACCP Certification
Timeline
Manufacturing Manager
Dr. Praeger's Sensible Foods, Inc
07.2023 - Current
Continuous Improvement Specialist
Dr. Praeger's Purely Sensible Food
04.2022 - 07.2023
Packaging Manager
Dr. Praeger's Purely Sensible Food
08.2018 - 04.2022
Packaging Supervisor
Dr. Praeger's Purely Sensible Food
10.2017 - 08.2018
Machine Operator
Corbion
08.2017 - 10.2017
Packaging Supervisor
Spezia
09.2016 - 08.2017
Packaging Supervisor
Hello Fresh
03.2015 - 01.2016
Marketing -
William Paterson University of New Jersey
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