Traditionally, manufacturers have relied on plant managers to ensure the production process moves forward as smoothly and efficiently as possible. But increasing competitive pressures have changed the way many manufacturers view the role of the plant manager.
The modern plant manager needs to be more than a "traffic cop" but someone who is involved in critical decision-making activities that impact profits, says Miles Free, director of industry research and technology at the Precision Machined Products Association in Brecksville, Ohio.
Free, a former plant manager at Republic Engineered Products, refers to the evolving plant manager role as a "profitability engineer."
"A profitability engineer is kind of like a wild animal. He's going where the prey are," Free explains. "You're not going to find him in one place. He might be involved in doing that first article inspection, helping do the runoff on the new production, helping qualify a new machine or process. He may be at a customer meeting to make sure they fully understand the requirements or talking to a supplier about their capabilities."
Building products manufacturer Saint-Gobain (IW 1000/67) seeks plant managers who are financially literate with a strong business sense, says James Thomson, senior vice president of human resources for Saint-Gobain in North America.
The division of France-based Compagnie de Saint-Gobain tries to identify plant managers who are aware of the marketplace and how they can position their plant for an economic advantage, Thomson says.
