VIM Production Manager Search

Vacuum Induction Melting Manager Search

We were tasked with finding someone to lead the Vacuum Induction Melting department for an Integrated Steel/Specialty Alloy operation.

The company wanted a collaborative leader who could increase accountability and teamwork within their melt departments. This person needed to be degreed (preferably metallurgy), have prior experience with VIM / EAF / VAR / ESR, be a good communicator, have 8 years' management experience, have previous experience implementing a Safety program, have prior experience with a variety of continuous improvement tools and be capable of driving goals and ownership amongst team members.

We began, by combing through the United States' melting industry, where we have identified over 250 operations.

We initially targeted Mills/Melt Sops that included a VIM, then we branched out into any shop in the U.S. that had an EAF, VAR, ESR, BOF, AOD, Blast Furnace or Ladle Furnace operation.

Each Mill/Melt Shop varies in size and organizational structure, with different job titles and varying responsibilities. As we combed through the leaders from these various operations across the country, some of the type of candidates we targeted included:

Melt Shop Managers/Supervisors
Melt Shop Superintendents
Steelmaking Managers
Manufacturing Managers/Supervisors
Production Managers/Supervisors
Area Managers
Shift Managers
Caster Managers
Operations Manager
Process Manager

We identified 291 prospective candidates who we believed may be qualified across the U.S. melting/casting industry and placed them on our call plan. Our initial criteria at this point are degreed individuals who’ve managed melting operations for 8+ years. Once we get them on the phone, we evaluate their education, melting experience, continuous improvement experience, accomplishments, compensation expectations, willingness to relocate, etc.

Below is the criteria we considered when evaluating the candidates we spoke with:

Must have experience with Vacuum Induction Melting, Electric Arc Melting, Vacuum Arc Remelting or Electroslag Remelting
Must have at least 8 years of Managerial experience within a heavy manufacturing environment
Must have a collaborative leadership style, with emphasis on mutual respect
Must be a hands-on Manager that gets out on the shop floor
Must have prior experience managing a team of 50+
Must have experience managing a budget of at least $5 million
Must know how to communicate complex technical information to non-technical people
Must be able to communicate well with shop floor team members as well as upper management
Must have ability to inspire, motivate and influence others
Must have proven track record in continuous improvement and development of people
Must be leader who can drive goals and ownership amongst team members
Must have previous experience using continuous improvement tools such as Lean, TPS, 6-S, Six Sigma, TOC, etc.,
Must be metrics driven Manager (KPI’s, Safety, OEE, TCIR, Cost of poor Quality, Throughput, Rework, etc.)
Must have proven track record in Safety and be capable of implementing a Safety program
Must not have history of job hopping
Must have prior experience with quality systems and standards like ISO 9001, AS9100 & NADCAP
Must be able/willing to relocate
Must be US Citizen or Green Card Holder
Must be proficient with Microsoft Office
Bachelor’s degree required
Prefer degree in engineering, metallurgy or business
Master's degree strongly preferred

From the 291 Melting Leaders we contacted:

9 candidates were submitted
5 candidates were phone interviewed
2 candidates were brought for onsite interviews

In ONLY 6 weeks we identified, attracted, thoroughly screened and successfully hired a Vacuum Induction Melting Manager from the melting industry, who is also a degreed metallurgist!

Laminin Corp will help you find the ideal candidate for the exact job you need covered. Get started today by visiting the EMPLOYERS page or CONTACT US now!