Production Supervisor - 1st Shift

Amherst, an Inovar Packaging Group, LLC Company, is proud to be one of North America’s premier flexographic and digital printing companies, dedicated to the success of our employees and customers. We invest in the latest equipment and technology, continually seeking the best strategies and solutions to deliver cutting-edge, top-quality products. Our culture is customer-driven, team-oriented, and built on win-win partnerships.

Why Join Us?

• Competitive pay
• Comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, and short/long-term disability
• 401(k) Retirement Plan with a generous company match
• Paid Time Off (PTO) and company holidays
• Opportunities for career growth within a rapidly expanding company
• A collaborative and innovative work environment

Position Summary

The Press Production Supervisor, 1st Shift, is responsible for leading all Digital and Flexographic pressroom operations on to ensure the safe, efficient, and profitable production of high-quality labels and packaging products. This role provides direct leadership to press operators, assistants, and supporting personnel while maintaining production schedules, quality standards, and continuous improvement initiatives.

The Press Production Supervisor serves as the primary link between scheduling, customer service, prepress, quality, maintenance, and production teams to ensure customer commitments are met while maximizing productivity, equipment utilization, and contribution margin.

Essential Responsibilities

Leadership & Team Development

• Supervise and develop press operators, press assistants, and related production personnel.
• Establish clear performance expectations and provide coaching, training, and corrective action when necessary.
• Conduct employee performance evaluations and development planning.
• Promote a positive culture focused on accountability, teamwork, quality, and continuous improvement.
• Coordinate employee cross-training to improve flexibility and operational coverage.

Production Management

• Execute daily and weekly production schedules while meeting customer delivery requirements.
• Monitor production output, downtime, waste, and labor utilization.
• Prioritize work based on customer requirements, production constraints, and company objectives.
• Ensure efficient utilization of all pressroom equipment and resources.
• Lead shift handoff meetings and daily production reviews.

Quality Management

• Ensure all products meet customer specifications and company quality standards.
• Support root cause investigations and corrective actions for quality issues.
• Verify adherence to approved proofs, job tickets, inspection requirements, and special instructions.
• Partner with Quality Assurance to reduce defects, rework, and customer complaints.

Safety & Compliance

• Maintain a safe working environment and enforce all company safety policies.
• Conduct regular safety observations and participate in safety committee initiatives.
• Ensure compliance with OSHA regulations, lockout/tagout procedures, PPE requirements, and environmental standards.
• Investigate accidents, near misses, and safety concerns.

Continuous Improvement

• Drive initiatives that improve productivity, throughput, quality, and cost performance.
• Monitor key performance indicators including:
  • Contribution Margin Dollars per Press Hour
  • Press Utilization
  • OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness)
  • Labor Efficiency
  • Waste Reduction
  • On-Time Delivery
  • Customer Complaints
• Identify opportunities to improve workflow, scheduling, setup reduction, and operational efficiency.
• Support implementation of Lean Manufacturing and Continuous Improvement projects.

Equipment & Maintenance

• Partner with maintenance vendors to maximize equipment reliability and uptime.
• Ensure operators perform required preventive maintenance and cleaning activities.
• Monitor equipment condition and report maintenance needs promptly.
• Participate in equipment installation, upgrades, and process validation activities.

Communication & Coordination

• Work closely with Scheduling, Customer Service, Estimating, Prepress, Finishing, and Warehouse teams.
• Communicate production status, risks, delays, and recovery plans to leadership.
• Participate in production meetings and capacity planning discussions.
• Support customer visits, audits, and operational reviews when required.

Qualifications

Required

• High School Diploma or GED.
• 5 years of manufacturing experience.
• 2 years of supervisory or leadership experience.
• Strong understanding of production scheduling and workflow management.
• Proven ability to lead teams and achieve performance objectives.
• Strong organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Experience in pressure-sensitive labels, packaging, flexographic printing, digital printing, or converting operations.

Preferred

• Experience with Lean Manufacturing principles.
• Knowledge of quality management systems and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Proficiency with Label Traxx, Batched, and Microsoft Office preferred.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Strong leadership and employee development skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• Excellent decision-making and conflict resolution abilities.
• Data-driven approach to problem solving.
• Strong mechanical aptitude.
• Ability to interpret production schedules, job tickets, and technical specifications.
• Commitment to safety, quality, and customer satisfaction.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to stand and walk for extended periods.
• Ability to lift up to 50 pounds occasionally.
• Ability to work in a manufacturing environment with exposure to machinery, noise, inks, and production materials.
• Ability to climb stairs and access production equipment safely.

Success Measures

A successful Press Production Supervisor will:

• Achieve or exceed production schedule attainment goals.
• Improve press productivity and labor efficiency.
• Reduce waste, downtime, and rework.
• Maintain a strong safety culture with minimal incidents.
• Develop a highly engaged and cross-trained workforce.
• Consistently deliver high-quality products on time.
• Contribute to profitable business growth through operational excellence.