Director of Extrusion & Die Shop
Western Extrusions Corporation · Carrollton, TX
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Headquartered in Carrollton, Texas we manufacture quality products used in America’s critical infrastructure industries including but not limited to class 8 trucks, electric vehicles, truck trailers, utility scale solar power, electrical transmission, and numerous commercial construction products.
About the Role
The Director of Extrusion and Die Shop is responsible for the overall leadership, performance, and profitability of Western’s Extrusions and Die Shop operations. This role oversees end-to-end extrusion manufacturing, die design, tooling, maintenance, and repair, serving as the critical link between engineering, operations, maintenance, quality, and plant leadership. The Director drives operational excellence by maximizing safety, productivity, equipment uptime, die performance, product quality, and cost efficiency while resolving complex metal-flow, tooling, and metallurgical challenges. This position owns the full cost-center P&L for both departments, including labor, cost of goods sold, tooling expenditures, and operating expenses, and is fully accountable for achieving Western’s standards of excellence in safety, quality, delivery, and financial performance.Supervisory Responsibilities:Provides strategic leadership and direction for the Extrusions and Die Shop & Tooling organization, including managers, supervisors, foremen, and other operational leaders.Oversees workforce planning, recruitment, onboarding, training, succession planning, and leadership development to ensure organizational strength and continuity.Establish staffing strategies, shift structures, and resource allocation plans to support safe and efficient 24/7 manufacturing operations.Sets clear performance expectations, develops talent, and fosters accountability through coaching, performance management, and employee development initiatives.Partners with Human Resources to address employee relations matters, corrective actions, and organizational changes in accordance with company policies and applicable regulations.Promotes cross-training, technical skill development, and continuous learning to strengthen operational flexibility and workforce capability.Builds a culture of engagement, accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement throughout the organization.Your Responsibilities:SafetyServes as the safety leader for Extrusions and Die Shop & Tooling operations, driving a culture of safety excellence and Serious Injury and Fatality (SIF) prevention across all shifts.Ensures compliance with all applicable safety regulations and company standards, including OSHA requirements, lockout/tagout, machine guarding, personal protective equipment (PPE), and hot-work practices, in partnership with EHS.Leads incident investigations, root cause analyses, and corrective action processes to prevent recurrence and improve overall safety performance.Establishes safety objectives, performance metrics, and accountability measures that support world-class manufacturing operations.Actively promotes hazard recognition, risk reduction, employee involvement, and continuous improvement in safety practices.Ensures safety considerations are integrated into operational, maintenance, engineering, and capital project activities.Extrusion OperationsDirects day-to-day production across five presses to meet output, quality, and delivery targets.Partners with Scheduling and Customer Service to balance press loading, changeovers, and customer priorities.Drives improvement in recovery, pounds per hour, and pounds per shift through standard work and process control.Establishes and enforces process standards for billet temperature, ram speed, quench, stretch, and aging.Works with the recipe team to optimize press recipes so products are run at maximum efficiency while meeting quality requirements.Partners with Maintenance and Engineering to reduce unscheduled downtime and plan press outages.Oversees control of consumables used in press operations.Die Shop & ToolingDirects die correction, nitriding, inspection, and storage to maximize die life and first-run success.Manages die inventory, die tracking, and die retirement decisions using performance data.Works with external die suppliers on design feedback, quality issues, cost, and lead times.Leads root cause investigation of die failures, including caved, cracked, or washed-out dies.Ensures die availability supports the production schedule and new product introductions.Works with Sales to provide technical input on new product quotes, confirming Western can produce the required profiles to quality standards.Financial & P&L ManagementProvides financial leadership and accountability for the Extrusions and Die Shop & Tooling cost centers, including labor, cost of goods sold, operating expenses, and capital investments.Develops budgets, forecasts, and operating plans that support production, profitability, and long-term business objectives.Drives cost optimization, productivity improvement, and capital deployment strategies while maintaining safety, quality, and customer performance standards.Ensure operational resources, investments, and expenditures align with company goals and deliver measurable business results.Quality, Customer Service & Continuous ImprovementPartners with Quality to meet customer specifications and reduce internal and external defects.Owns corrective actions for extrusion and die-related customer complaints and supports customer visits and audits.Establishes quantitative and qualitative metrics, standards, and visual management for both areas; identifies opportunities for improvement.Is accountable for annual scorecard results, including safety, output, unscheduled downtime, recovery, die performance, quality, cost per pound, and P&L performance against budget.Leads Lean, 5S, and structured problem-solving initiatives, using ERP/MES and production data to drive decisions.Leadership & CommunicationLeads organizational communication and change management initiatives, ensuring the effective implementation of new directives, policies, procedures, and operational strategies across all shifts and functions.Collaborates with Maintenance, Engineering, Quality, Scheduling, Casting, Packing, HR, and other departments to optimize workflow, improve operational performance, and drive cost-effective business results.Builds a culture of accountability, engagement, continuous improvement, and operational excellence through visible leadership, coaching, and employee development.Develops strong relationships with employees, customers, suppliers, and industry partners while representing Western with professionalism and integrity.Provides leadership and support for strategic initiatives, capital projects, and cross-functional business objectives.Performs other related duties as assigned.What You Will Bring:Extensive knowledge of aluminum extrusion manufacturing, including 6xxx-series alloys, solid, hollow, and semi-hollow die design and performance, metal flow, and process optimization.Strong financial acumen and the ability to translate operating data into cost decisions.Exceptional analytical, decision-making, and structured problem-solving capabilities.Strong leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence and engage employees at all levels of the organization, from the production floor to executive leadership.Proven ability to lead large, multi-shift operations, drive organizational change, and build a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.Effective project management, organizational, and prioritization skills with strong attention to detail.Proficiency in leveraging production systems, metrics, and data analytics to drive operational performance and business results.Education and Experience:Minimum of 10 years of progressive leadership experience in aluminum extrusion and/or die shop operations, including at least 5 years managing a multi-press, 24/7 manufacturing environment.Strong working knowledge of both extrusion operations and die shop processes, including die correction, nitriding, die maintenance, and die life management. Deep expertise in one area with demonstrated experience in the other will be considered.Demonstrated success in full cost-center P&L management, including budgeting, forecasting, labor management, cost of goods sold, and operational expense control.Proven experience leading organizations of 100+ employees across multiple shifts, with measurable improvements in safety, productivity, quality, recovery, throughput, and cost performance.Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Business, or a related field preferred; equivalent combination of education and relevant experience will be considered.Preferred qualifications include Lean Manufacturing and/or Six Sigma certification (Green Belt or higher), ERP/MES experience, experience managing external die suppliers, and experience supporting capital projects, press rebuilds, or facility expansions.Working Conditions:Regularly required to walk and stand for extended periods throughout manufacturing and production areas.Occasionally required to lift and carry items weighing up to 15 pounds.Must be able to work safely in a manufacturing environment and wear all required personal protective equipment, including hearing, eye, foot, and heat protection.Must be available to support a 24/7 operation, including off-shift, weekend, and emergency response requirements as needed.Physical Requirements:Regularly required to walk and stand for extended periods throughout manufacturing and production areas.Occasionally required to lift and carry items weighing up to 15 pounds.Must be able to work safely in a manufacturing environment and wear all required personal protective equipment, including hearing, eye, foot, and heat protection.Must be available to support a 24/7 operation, including off-shift, weekend, and emergency response requirements as needed.Work Environment: Duties are performed both indoors and in the plant which is an uncontrolled environment subject to extreme temperatures, loud noise, and moving equipment. While performing the duties of this job, the employee may be exposed to industrial noise, vibration, temperature and waste. Other activities include sitting for extended periods of time and extensive work at a computer and/or calculator and regular use of telephone.Disclaimer Notice: The essential duties and responsibilities, education, experience, abilities, physical demands, and work environment, among other things, listed in this job description are representative only and not exhaustive of the tasks that an employee may be required to perform. The Employer retains the right to modify this job description, either by revising or expanding it, at any given time. This may include assigning employees’ additional tasks based on business circumstances or changes within the work environment.Western Extrusions is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, age, disability status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by Federal, National, or Local Laws.Please Note: No 3rd party candidates are being accepted.