Andrew Gerlach Email & Phone Number

Saint Paul, Mn, Us

• Lead talented team of five Product Managers and the division’s Technical Trainer within the Lubrication Equipment Division (LED)• Product Portfolio Management - Develop and maintain a robust 5-Year Product Plan by strategic market - Prioritize new product development projects to meet both long-term and short-term strategic goals - Collaborate with the global sales team, distribution partners, and customers to identify market trends and areas of high growth potential that feed our new product development funnel and drive behavior related to our standard product offering. - Drive product quality improvements - Actively involved in product lifecycle management including the sunsetting of legacy product lines - Directly responsible for yearly pricing activities for North America while influencing regional pricing decisions• Engage with Business Leads and Executive Leadership to ensure project portfolio and PLS priorities align with business needs and expectations• Foster the continuous technical and professional development of my team through formal and informal training, ongoing coaching, and mentoring• Cultivate and manage effective relationships with senior leadership across the division and Graco, influencing processes, decisions, and outcomes• Collaborate with the division’s senior leadership team to create, review, and consolidate project plans, ensuring resource alignment and resolving potential conflicts• Foster cross-functional organizational alignment between: Sales, Product Management, Marketing, Engineering, Manufacturing, Customer Service, Technical Assistance, and Technical Training

• Heavy focus on new product development and distribution partner conversion• Extensive end user and distribution partner research to uncover new product and market opportunities• Proposed new product development projects to upper management team to gain approval to enter the stage gate development process based on a detailed business case• Managed worldwide new product development efforts from concept to launch• Worked with Channel Marketing to develop sales support and launch material • Supported multiple OEM indicatives• Responsible for analyzing and driving a pricing and profitability strategy within a defined set of product categories• Worked directly with Manufacturing to review and adjust forecasts and safety stock• Provided worldwide technical and product support to Graco employees and distribution partners

Anoka, Mn

• Responsible for Manufacturing Cell metrics including: Scrap and Rework, Product Turns, Inventory, Productivity, Efficiency, Budget, Planning, and Product Service Levels• Managed/Lead 50+ employees including exempt and non-exempt in both direct and indirect• Effectively lead multiple Kaizen Events• Proactively identified and implemented continuous quality and cost improvements• Managed the development and implementation of pre-production projects• Responsible for delivering high quality product, cost effectively, in a timely fashion

• Responsible for Manufacturing Cell measures including: Scrap and Rework, Product Turns, Inventory, Productivity, Efficiency, Budget, and Product Service Levels.• Managed/Lead 30+ employees including exempt and non-exempt.- Machining Department- Tool Services (Tool Design, Tool Build, and Tool Grind)

• Provided daily manufacturing support for several assembly lines and machining centers.• Responsible for launching new products in Manufacturing• Supported Graco’s Suzhou, China factory with both standard product and new product.• Drove and implemented cost savings initiatives• Justified, purchased, and implemented Capital Equipment

Master’S Degree, Business Administration And Management, General

Bachelor’S Degree, Mechanical Engineering