Matthew Jones

Director of Manufacturing Operations

Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, United States

About

A hands-on, action-oriented leader who directs all manufacturing operations to meet business objectives and satisfy customer requirements. A certified Lean Six Sigma Blackbelt who drives continuous improvement and holds teams accountable to optimize processes, production, and equipment utilization. Recognized for strong emotional intelligence that builds high-performing teams, rewarding autonomy and innovation. Capabilities include: • Production | Engineering | Quality | Distribution • Process Safety Management (PSM) & Process Hazard Analysis (PHA) for Chemical Processing • Layer of Protection Analysis (LOPA) • Computer Numerical Control 3-Axis Programming: CNC Mill, Lathe, Dual Wire Saw • AS/ISO 9001 Standards | EHS | OSHA • Certified Lean Six Sigma Blackbelt | CI Projects • KPIs | Dashboards | Data-Driven Decision Making • Customer Relations & Business Partner Support • Supplier / Vendor Management • Builds High-Performing Teams | Mentors Talent • Multiple Award Winner for Innovation & Results • Excellent Written & Verbal Communication TECHNOLOGY AutoCAD/SolidWorks/DraftSight/Inventor) | CNC programming | MATLAB 6.5 | Minitab & Quality Companion | Microsoft Office (Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Word, Teams, OneNote, Power BI)

Experience

  • Director of Operations at Industrial Tube & Steel Corporation
    Apr 2025 - Present · 1 yr 3 mos

    Responsible for manufacturing and distribution operations at both the Kent and Cincinnati locations.

  • Director of Operations, North American Floral Division at Smithers-Oasis
    Jan 2017 - Feb 2025 · 8 yrs 2 mos

    Recruited to drive continuous improvement of the Oasis ® Brand manufacturing and distribution operation. Managed Foaming, Quality, Manufacturing, Distribution, Planning, Purchasing, Customer Service, and a Project Manager, supervising 9 Managers and 100 employees. • Responsible for full P&L, annual business planning, 10-year strategy, and capital projects. • Contributed $1.316MM over tenure, averaging 103.675% yield gain. • Designed the solution and developed the business case to implement robotic automation in assembly to remove the largest safety hazard in the facility. • Added 25% capacity to the Distribution Center and eliminated 95% of overtime with decreased payroll costs by removing the need for a 2cnd shift by repurposing a brownfield site. Led the $1MM project. • Led and/or contributed to the post-integration of 4 acquisitions (AFT, Milton Adler, Handy Floral, Design Master) as project manager, overseeing integration of: capital equipment, manufacturing, distribution, and suppliers. Successfully transitioned operations into daily production with no issues. • Facilitated 6 Lean initiatives annually (42 over tenure) resulting in a 26% gain in labor efficiency, 39.5% improvement in machine uptime, and 95% item availability. • Implemented multiple KPI’s (e.g., on-time shipment, labor utilization, item availability) communicated through electronic tracking and weekly communication. • Met monthly with global operations leaders to share best practices and drive continuous improvement and standardization. • Received 3 corporate Innovation Awards, 3 “Top Ten” awards, and 9 “Area of Excellence” awards.

  • nVent Electrical & Fastening Solutions (On-site)
    • Plant Manager, CADDY®
      Nov 2014 - Jan 2017 · 2 yrs 3 mos

      Managed a manufacturing operation, with 3 shifts/6 days/week and 125 production employees. Oversaw Planning, Engineering, Quality, and EHS. Managed capital expenditures planning and requests. • Met or exceeded the annual goal of $800k COGS savings through continuous improvement efforts. • Implemented Lean transformation throughout the plant to improve safety, quality, delivery, cost, and cash. Redesigned the Assembly department (e.g., layout and takt time). • Led the Annual Operations Plan (AOP) and (1/3/5 years) strategy plan aligned with corporate objectives. Developed performance goals for employees linked to objectives and deliverables. • Ran project management for a $3MM install of a 900-ton mechanical press, including scope, requirements gathering, GANNT chart, budgeting, resource allocation, issue management, vendor management, and post-implementation support. • Introduced a 9-block talent management process to create a robust succession and development process, creating a more engaged and collaborative team and increased internal promotions.

    • Plant Operations Manager, ERICO® & LENTON ®
      Nov 2008 - Nov 2014 · 6 yrs 1 mo

      Managed 150+ manufacturing employees, over 2 shifts, 6 days per week, overseeing 13 departments (e.g., CADWELD+, machine shop, Lenton, Graphite, Customer Service, Engineering, Planning, Sales & Quality). • Increased EBITA by $12MM during tenure using Lean principles to reduce manufacturing variance and implement advanced machine technology, including: o Used Kaizen to drive labor efficiencies across departments and reduce machine downtime by 12%. o Upskilled the workforce by developing cross-training for production workers across machines and departments. • Proposed capital purchases ($250K to $1MM) for 6 new machines, from equipment research to costing, and ROI calculations to vendor negotiations. • Recruited top talent for leadership roles and created a learning culture by developing performance targets and curriculum for supervisors and engineers.

    • Plant Manager & Project Manager, Tilburg, Netherlands
      Mar 2008 - Nov 2008 · 9 mos

      Provided interim management of a manufacturing facility, supervising 38 CNC machinists. • Implemented a standardized Lenton Coupler for the global manufacturing footprint by integrating US and European manufacturing experience to deliver the project under an aggressive timeline. • Diversified the supplier base, increasing the overall quality of finished goods.