Michael Swanson Email & Phone Number

Washington D.C. Metro Area

• Led and managed a team of 59 associates in manufacturing, production scheduling, shipping and receiving departments for a $40MM polyolefin foam manufacturer supplying automotive, industrial, and flooring Industries.
• Achieved Toray’s “Turn Around Award” and “President’s Award” for leading $700K in profit recovery in 2011.
• Reduced production costs by 17% by leading the selection and installation of direct feed, twin screw extrusion technology and inspection vision systems to ensure product uniformity and annual savings of $1.2 MM.
• Led reduction in force program while maintaining production efficiencies and yield performance.
• Utilized Lean manufacturing practices to set company production records of 80% yield for 9 consecutive months.

Washington D.C. Metro Area

• Led daily operations of rotating shift facility including budget development, hiring and training, equipment maintenance, production scheduling, safety, environmental, and continuous improvement program.
• Established management program to increase equipment uptime via Preventative Maintenance scheduling.
• Lowered OSHA rate from 4.6 to 0.8 by implementing behavior based safety programs.
• Initiated cost reduction program which increased uptime from 85% to 95% and increased production output by 17% (Toray record) and annual savings of $1.32 MM.
• Implemented “Zero Landfill” operations and internal recycling program resulting in $350K in annual savings.
• Led Process Control & Measurement group by initiating use of Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma fundamentals to improve production yield by 7.4% (another Toray record) while obtaining annual savings of $930K.

Washington D.C. Metro Area

• Developed distribution channel and OEM market strategy for the Flooring and Industrial markets.
• Led the product marketing initiatives including branding, POP, advertising, tradeshows, pull through marketing.
• Established a sales channel into the flooring market and grew it in excess of $8MM annually in under four years.
• Designed and introduced product that increased asset productivity, lowered quality complaints, and increased performance at end user while lowering costs by $1.3 MM annually.
• Designed and introduced a product line that achieved the highest gross margin in the company’s history.

Washington D.C. Metro Area

• Led development of underlayment market for PEF division by development of a unique Polyolefin foam that reduces the reflected noise from hard surface materials.
• United States Patent 8,056,292 – Low reflected sound pressure level, low moisture vapor transmission rate flooring system.
• Developed marketing strategies for Toray product launch into the underlayment market. Included SWAT analysis, market placement analysis, supply chain analysis, cost structure evaluation.
• Technical Sales contact for companies largest Automotive customers, responsible for trouble shooting quality issues, managing senior level design and development meetings, and account logistics.
• Lowered customer complaints by 13% and $65k annually. Improved response by three days by developing a statistical control loop with production facility on key quality criteria.
• Developed water shield foam to replace film in the installation process at the OEM. This foam reduced manpower at the OEM by 4 operators. Annual savings of $175k.

• Managed and developed process engineers and process technicians in the daily production, troubleshooting and process improvement project priority on a $40 MM production line.
• Increased productivity 10% by implementing production monitoring system for an annual savings of $325K.
• Developed a Kanban system for chemical storage that improved measurement accuracy, consistency and safety.
• Optimized equipment setup methods to reduce changeover downtime by 26% for annual savings of $175K.
• Using statistical tools and techniques, ensured that the production processes that directly affect quality are planned, identified, and carried out under controlled conditions
• Implemented a visual factory program that reduced inventory waste and scheduling errors

North Kingstown, RI

• Reduced manufacturing cost by eliminating surface defects while utilizing Lean Manufacturing Techniques to yield annual savings of $210K.
• Stabilized process controls and set company production record in OPP while surpassing 3.3M lbs/mo.
• Developed and implemented a training program for new process engineers and operators.
• Optimized process conditions to run 25% faster while increasing useable web width by 9% for annual savings of $3.2 MM.
• Established standardized process conditions to optimize new OPP extrusion film line resulting in a 8% increase in uprate for annual savings of $800K.
• Formally documented Technical Department procedures to achieve ISO 9001 certification.

Conover, NC

• Managed eight-person team in the manufacturing of $1M/wk of polyurethane foam
• Responsible for troubleshooting foaming process from chemical blending through formation and slitting
• Operated and maintained chemical blending recipes to meet customer specifications
• Evaluated and maintained all process equipment including: heat exchangers, pumps, motors and drives, temperatures and flow controllers, valves and storage tanks
• Implemented flat topping system on the production line resulting in a 2% increase in production yield and net cost savings of $20,000/wk. This flat topping system has been adopted by pouring plants nationwide.