William Hobbs

Temporary short term assignment to lead a team to reduce scrap and improve competency and capacity of factory.

• Served as a department expert for process-related inquiries, providing guidance to colleagues when needed.

I was part of the start up team to install equipment, start up equipment, develop processes in order to ramp up production while respecting budget and product plan. I managed 4 phototype production lines and got them to maximum capacity in 3 years instead of 5 years in the plan. Met all production metrics during the start up, throughput, cost, scrap while developing young Engineers.

• Worked well in a team setting, providing support and guidance.
• Assisted with day-to-day operations, working efficiently and productively with all team members.
• Managed time efficiently in order to complete all tasks within deadlines.
• Used critical thinking to break down problems, evaluate solutions and make decisions.

Served as a process expert for 8 Michelin factories in North America (US, Canada, and Mexico).

• Trained team members on new processes to ensure seamless adoption and maintain operational excellence.
• Optimized operations, analyzed bottlenecks, and identified areas for improvement.
• Developed process documentation to maintain standardization and knowledge sharing among team members.
• Reduced costs with strategic resource allocation and capacity planning.
• Streamlined processes for increased productivity through the use of automation tools.
• Conducted root cause analysis to identify issues and develop corrective actions for process optimization.
• Enhanced process efficiency by analyzing workflows and implementing improvements.
• Facilitated workshops aimed at capturing current state processes, eliciting requirements, and developing future state solutions aligned with organizational objectives.
• Communicated effectively with stakeholders to align expectations, gather requirements, and provide updates on project progress.
• Collaborated with cross-functional teams to ensure consistent process execution.
• Served as a subject matter expert on specific processes providing guidance and support to other team members when needed.
• Responsible for the Michelin North America training school and the validation of all Technicians in my department of responsibility

Responsible for 2 factories in Thailand, 2 factories in China, and 1 factory in Japan.

• Trained junior team members on best practices in process optimization, enhancing their skills and contributions to the team.
• Increased capacity of factories under my domain by 20 - 40%.
• Developed training programs and validated the competency of exiting and new Technicians.
• Part of the development team for new tire lines with different materials and processes.
• Identified and implemented necessary modifications to be able to product next generation tires.
• Worked with Chinese vendors to develop prototype equipment for Michelin use.

Continued to serve on Group Steering Committee as process specialist representing Asia with my collogues in Europe and North America

Responsible for performance optimization for Michelin plants in North America.

• 4 in Canada
• 1 in Mexico
• 8 in USA

During this time help in the start up of a new Earthmover tire factory in Lexington SC. Also provided technical expertise and training ensuring we met production forecast, cost projections, Quality levels and ensuring competency of department Technicians.

Served as the North American specialist on the steering committee to define new processes of the future. collaborated with my collogues in Europe and Asia.

• Created comprehensive documentation of processes to ensure consistent execution across teams.
• Trained junior team members on best practices in process optimization, enhancing their skills and contributions to the team.
• Led cross-functional teams to develop new processes for enhanced operational efficiency.

Responsible for a team of 8 Engineers / Technicians to industrialize new production,optimize current production, reduce scrap and rework.

Led a team to reduce capital equipment by 20% while increasing capacity by 30%.

• Managed and motivated employees to be productive and engaged in work.
• Accomplished multiple tasks within established timeframes.
• Maintained professional, organized, and safe environment for employees and patrons.
• Maximized performance by monitoring daily activities and mentoring team members.
• Achieved departmental goals by developing and executing strategic plans and performance metrics.

Worked in Michelin Group Headquarters in Clermont Ferrrand France. It was primarily a training assignment to learn the process for a new assignment and to learn to speak French. Was responsible for several quality initiatives in multiple factories in Europe. Designated process specialist for severs process lines.

This was preparation and training for my role as Shop Quality Obtention Manager for our factory in Lexington South Carolina.

Responsible for new industrializations, developing and implement control plans, preparing and leading external audits.

• Performed thorough inspections of incoming materials and outgoing products.
• Reduced customer complaints with proactive identification of potential issues during routine testing procedures.
• Maintained accurate documentation of all quality-related activities, facilitating easy access to records when needed.

responsible for industrialization of new rubber compounds in our Mixing facility in Anderson SC, assuring that all critical performance criteria was met by adjusting the process for optimal results.

• Wrote, reviewed and approved documents to preserve quality assurance.
• Led cross-functional teams to identify root causes of quality issues and develop corrective actions.
• Conducted regular process audits to maintain compliance with industry regulations and best practices.

Associate Quality Assurance technician.

• Performed visual inspections and non-destructive tests where appropriate.
• Reported repeated issues to supervisors and other departments, collaborating to identify issue roots and rectify problems.
• Communicated with production team members about quality issues.
• Used calipers and micrometer measuring instruments.
• Kept detailed records of quality and imperfect products.
• Identified where product issues were coming from and rectified issues.