Project Manager Product Development

Planning, R&D - Innovation, New Product Development Operations -> Lean Manufacturing handling, conveying, utilities and piping, food safety, and sanitary process systems lead engineer or project manager Engineering -> Mechanical, R & D, Project Management, Pro project manager, gnatt, pert, cpm, gert, project life cycle, wbs, work breakdown structure, project plan, project stages, project requirement, project implement, cost control system, project implement, mrp, spc, material resource, material management, mapics, bpics, apics, tqm, cim, jit, mtm, cim, mapics, bpics, apics,manufacturing, fabrication Project Manager Job cess Program Management -> Design for Six Sigma, Multi-generational Product Page 1

WILLEM J. (KOBUS) DU PLESSIS

1800 Farm Road 1060 ~ Monett, Missouri, 65708 – 417-***-**** ~ *********@*****.*** Mechanical Engineering professional with diverse background and strong hands-on experience including Operations Management, Manufacturing, Project Engineering management, Planned Preventative Maintenance, Plant Start-Ups, Upgrades and Cost improvements, New Product Development, Design of new product processes & tooling design and fabrication. Excel at developing teams, setting and reaching common goals by resolving complex issues with tailored cost- effective solutions while meeting ever-changing client and company demands. History of lowering production costs, improving product designs & quality, processes and efficiencies which in turn led to quantifiable increases in Company revenue and profits.

EXPERTISE

Operations Management Planned Preventative Maintenance Systems Development / Improvement Budget / P&L Responsibility Project Management New Business Development Continuous Improvement Lean Manufacturing Client & Customer Satisfaction Plant upgrades / Start-ups International Consulting & Purchasing New Product Design / Development SELECTED CAREER ACHIEVEMENTS

Manage Process Engineering group responsible for Capital projects and process improvements. Manage large multi shift Maintenance group with 36 Team members. Establish and develop a new Automation & Controls group and also plan and execute 3 large Capital expansion projects while managing my normal day to day responsibilities.

(EFCO Corporation)

Plan and execute multi-million-dollar capital equipment and facility upgrade/expansion projects for fortune 500 companies (GENESYS)

Manage the start up of a new company (Move-It-All Trailers) producing custom luggage trailers for traveling and outdoor activities.

Led Value Engineering teams (14–20 members) at Miracle Recreation to upgrade and improve existing product lines resulting in $1.4M savings in the first year. Manage the implementation of Lean Manufacturing with 5S, 80/20 and Kaizen principles to reduce operations costs by $1.5M per year and optimize Inventory levels throughout all departments. Interim Director of Operations for Miracle Recreation for 4 months during restructuring process. – ($100M, 450+ employee organization) manufacturer of Commercial Playground equipment.

Manage 95 maintenance personnel and a $18mil. annual maintenance budget for all heavy mining equipment used in a 100 square mile open pit and underground iron ore mine. Team member of Maintenance Parts Warehouse optimization project to reduce inventory capital and increase equipment availability for the mining and production divisions of ISCOR – Thabazimbi mine

Responsible for New Product Development and Production departments at Ground Heaters Inc. - a Heat Transfer Equipment manufacturing company - Developed low volume custom machines based on specific customer requirements. Increased sales by 300% in 18 months through innovative new product development and componentized design to drastically reduce production costs, inventory levels and improve profitability.

Manage the Engineering staff of 12 Engineers to design custom Mechanical handling equipment for the Food and Dairy industry at Ideas In Motion Inc. (USA) Oversee the manufacturing, installation and commissioning of equipment at customer’s facility with a team of 60 Team members. Implement Production & Plant maintenance and standardized New Product design process for food processing equipment resulting in a significant increase in sales, an 80% increase in efficiency, and 99% elimination of standard product redesign.

Cradle to grave responsibility for a $3.8M material handling system while managing Ideas In Motion (SA). Detailed layout and component design, including electrical and electronic systems, PLC, light sensors, pneumatics, etc.

Responsible for conceptual design of mechanical handling systems at NCD. Updated manual order process handling system to semi-automated system. Modernized outdated dairy facility. Achieved 95% reliability through PPM. Greenfield construction and start-up of new $380 million facility. Products included frozen, cultured and fresh dairy products.

Planning, R&D - Innovation, New Product Development Operations -> Lean Manufacturing handling, conveying, utilities and piping, food safety, and sanitary process systems lead engineer or project manager Engineering -> Mechanical, R & D, Project Management, Pro project manager, gnatt, pert, cpm, gert, project life cycle, wbs, work breakdown structure, project plan, project stages, project requirement, project implement, cost control system, project implement, mrp, spc, material resource, material management, mapics, bpics, apics, tqm, cim, jit, mtm, cim, mapics, bpics, apics,manufacturing, fabrication Project Manager Job cess Program Management -> Design for Six Sigma, Multi-generational Product Page 2

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

EFCO Corp. Monett, MO – Senior Engineering Manager 2014 to Present

(Commercial Window and Fenestration Manufacturer)

Responsible to rebuild Manufacturing Engineering department from 1 Team member to a fully functional Process Engineering group. Manage ME group, Tooling group and Maintenance departments. Create a new Automation/Controls support group and implement Controls and Real time monitoring of critical equipment. Execute large expansion projects very successfully – within time and budget – (New Glass Cutting Center - $5.6 mil., New Unitized Curtain wall facility - $ 4.8 mil. -. New Logistics warehouse with custom tracking software and material handling equipment - $16 mil). Completing a variety of Facility and restructuring projects to enhance operations and profitability. Re-organize Assembly and Fabrication cells to generate $ 850,000 annual savings and increase plant capacity with 45% Implement new processes in financial area of Purchasing orders and Payment terms with any and all vendors supplying Capital equipment. Involved in Facilities and CI to drive change and move away from old outdated processes. Initiating and drive “Lean SWAT Teams” to get very quick Operational and Cost savings results. Work directly with new Company President to drive change and fast task execution with the goal to drastically improve On Time delivery, top notch quality and major reduction in Cost of Poor quality.

GENESYS corp., Kansas City, MO – Senior Project Engineer / Manager 2011 to 2014

(Material Handling Systems Integrator.)

Senior Project Engineer and Project manager on Material handling projects to help customers to produce their products Better, Faster, Safer and at Less cost by evaluating their processes and applying the latest equipment and technology. Move-It-All, Monett, MO - Part Owner 2007 to 2011

(Manufacturer of Custom Luggage Trailers)

New company start-up. Responsible for development of new product line including product design, prototype, tooling, and plant start-up. Steel, fiberglass, paint and assembly manufacturing processes. Sales and marketing responsibility. Miracle Recreation, Monett, MO - Director of Engineering and Management Team Member 1999 to 2007

(Manufacturer of commercial outdoor playground, water park equipment and boat dock systems.) Member of Executive Management team to support corporate function with P&L responsibility for capital and operating budgets. A member of cross function CI team to optimize equipment, inventory and product flow in both production facilities.

Responsible for new product development, regulatory compliance and R&D. Provide technical support to the Sales and Legal departments. Manage a technical staff of 18 to support Sales and Marketing in New Product offerings. Participate in the International New Product committee with key individuals from various International Organizations. Play key role in evaluation of Product and Organization during acquisitions of new Companies. Present New Product releases to Sales organization at annual Sales meeting. Facilitate brain storming and product review meetings between Technical and Sales organizations.

Ground Heaters, Inc., Spring Lake, MI - Chief Engineer /Technical Sales & Production Manager 1997 to 1999

(Manufacturer of mobile self-contained heat transfer equipment for construction industry) Design custom mobile construction equipment for use in Alaska oil fields. Researched and developed equipment for cold weather concrete curing. Assisted sales force with specific industry applications to make company the world leader in its field. Responsible for streamlined design and assembly of products with minimum inventory levels to support demand. Ideas In Motion, Durban, South Africa & Grand Rapids, MI - President – IIM (SA) 1991 to 1997

(Manufacturer of Stainless-steel conveyor and bottle handling equipment serving the food and dairy industry.) Manage start up of new division in South Africa to design and manufacture custom material handling equipment and automated systems for the Food, Dairy and Beverage industries. Designed and installed the largest and most complex system in the company’s history. Developed designs and procedures to eliminate 60% of installation time by pre-building bottle and crate handling system components in the factory versus on site. Procedure was successfully adopted by the international organization. (USA, UK and Puerto Rico divisions) Planning, R&D - Innovation, New Product Development Operations -> Lean Manufacturing handling, conveying, utilities and piping, food safety, and sanitary process systems lead engineer or project manager Engineering -> Mechanical, R & D, Project Management, Pro project manager, gnatt, pert, cpm, gert, project life cycle, wbs, work breakdown structure, project plan, project stages, project requirement, project implement, cost control system, project implement, mrp, spc, material resource, material management, mapics, bpics, apics, tqm, cim, jit, mtm, cim, mapics, bpics, apics,manufacturing, fabrication Project Manager Job cess Program Management -> Design for Six Sigma, Multi-generational Product Page 3

Design Engineering Manager/Production Manager – IIM (USA) Responsible for Design dept. Sales proposals and customer interaction to develop custom applications and equipment for Dairy, Water and Beverage bottling plants. Assist Sales force in making combined Sales calls and proposals on all large and complicated projects. Make site visits to installation sites to oversee final commissioning and handover of all large projects to ensure top quality installations and total customer satisfaction. Manage the production facility with 40 employees and an Installation team of 20 Installers to provide complete customer satisfaction from delivery to final commissioning of all installed systems. National Co-Op Dairies – (NCD), Durban, South Africa Chief Proj. Eng. /Eng. & Maint. Manager 1985 to 1991

(Dairy processor producing fresh, cultured and frozen dairy products using continuous and batch processing) Developed, designed and installed new mechanical handling systems for use in processing and shipping departments of various factories in the organization. Upgraded and expanded older factories to improve product flow. Maintenance functions of new plant – Processing and Mech. Handling equipment. Reduced personnel and Spare Part Inventory levels and improved efficiencies by approximately 45%.

ISCOR – Thabazimbi Iron Ore Mine, Republic of South Africa 1982 to 1985

(One of nine mines owned by ISCOR supplying raw material to three steel mills) Maintenance Engineer/Planning and Development Engineer/Project Manager Responsible for maintenance of all mining equipment used in 100 square mile open pit and underground iron ore mine. Designed specialty mining equipment: managed projects from concept to production (Low profile hydrostatic driven road grader – special rock drilling machine for underground use – established new oil analysis lab to optimize engine and transmission maintenance and life). Developed large fresh water distribution system with multiple tandem pumps. South African Defense Force, Republic of South Africa Army Officer – Lieutenant – Military Academy and trained in 6 Core Army Divisions. Deployed on active duty to combat terrorist Infiltration at the Northern border of South Africa and South West Africa

(Namibia)

EDUCATION /QUALIFICATIONS

BSME, University of Pretoria, South Africa – 1982

Professional Engineer- Registered with South African Council of Professional Engineers until 1996 Mini MBA, Missouri State University (Springfield MO) – 2003 Large Operation Planned Preventative Maintenance Systems and Planning Investment In Excellence – Personal Affirmation and Fore thought skills and methods COMPUTER SKILLS

Very Proficient in MS Office Suite Professional, - (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher, Outlook) - (Power User of Excel)

MS Project, - Stage Gate process

Autodesk 2024

Solidworks

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