Quality Assurance & Production Specialist with ISO-Accomplishments
Resume:
JOHN GACHUGU KAMAU
Mombasa Rd, Nairobi, Nairobi county 00100
*********@*****.***
PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY
Astute quality assurance assistant and production assistant, offering expert-oriented analysis and advice for improved quality operations and extensive experience in PCR improvements and using exceptional analytical, management, and interpersonal skills to develop industry processes with high-achieving results. I am also an organized and dependable person with analytic and management skills in developing protocols to impact manufacturing and processing quality in production positively. Proven track record of improving recycling efficiency, reducing costs, and promoting sustainable practices within the manufacturing and recycling sectors. Adapt to working in dynamic environments and collaborating with cross-functional teams to meet recycling targets and promote environmental stewardship.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
AS PROCESSING QUALITY INSPECTION OFFICER
● Implemented a new quality control checklist that reduced product defects by 15%.
● Assisted in achieving ISO 9001 certification for the organization.
● Developed a traceability system that improved product recall efficiency.
● Improved inspection turnaround time, increasing overall productivity by 10%.
● Conducted quality awareness workshops leading to improved staff compliance with QMS protocols.
AS QA ASSISTANT
● Reduction of waste (other plastics) at pre-sorting to 6% in Quarter 1 of 2021 at Mr. Green Trading Africa Kenya Limited by ensuring appropriate presorting of plastic is done at buying levels. Reduction of process loss at level 5(Erema Machine) and level 2(pre-sorting) in Quarter 2 of 2022 to 2%.
●Improved Quality at Color Sorting by separation of paint containers, thus reducing chemical usage by nearly 10%.
● Improved Quality of flakes through strict removal of other colors and wrong batch at the metal detector in the wash line machine.
● Collaborated with the QC team in the development of cost-effective pelletizer washing pellets from virgin plastics (Polypropylene) to use of rPPW - Pellets.
● Aided introduction of other recyclable plastic resin compounds into the Company's products including; Thermoforms, LDPEs, HDPE-Injection, PET, and ABS.
● Documented and resolved soil and labels waste minimization which led to decreased normal losses in the production chain. Also instigated the possibility of the sale of soil, labels, and Erema lumps by conducting outsourced laboratory tests.
● Documented the chemical dosage and sample collection procedure. AS PRODUCTION ASSISTANT
● Develop, Schedule, plan, and conduct plan shift handing over meetings to discuss current situations and come up with ideas for improvement.
● Develop effective staff safety training and ensure is conducted by follow-up is done to have an accident-free environment.
● Training of shop floor teams on SOPs, machine safety instructions, GMP, and HACCP, and enforcing the use of these procedures.
● Improved and ensured proper documentation of all production activities and documenting
● Project management and setup in Uganda as shown in the link https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/15XQXdDqUlCd- L38bFtRlWEIqB_mdPgU7?usp=drive_link.
● Setting up plot textile recycling and production testing project at MGA Warehouse Tracker.xlsx
WORK HISTORY
NOV 2025 - Current Silafrica QC SUPERVISOR
SILAFRICA is a manufacturer and supplier of rigid plastic packaging solutions in Eastern Africa, specializing in containers for both food and non-food applications. 1. Strategic & Compliance Roles
● Guardian of Food Safety & Standards: Ensure all products comply with stringent Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) requirements, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations (for exports), and global food safety standards like FSSC 22000 or BRCGS. This is paramount for Silafrica's clients in dairy, juice, edible Fat and yoghurt cups containers
● Customer Specification Custodian: Act as the primary enforcer of specific, critical customer requirements (e.g., weight, dimensions, closure force, migration limits) for major clients like Coca-Cola, Unilever, Kevian, and local dairies.
● Quality Management System (QMS) Steward: Maintain and improve the QMS (likely ISO 9001), ensuring proper documentation, internal audits, and readiness for certification audits by clients and regulatory bodies.
● Risk Management: Proactively identify risks in the production process (raw material, machine settings, and handling) that could lead to non-conforming products and implement preventive actions.
2. Operational & Technical Roles
● In-Process Control & Inspection:
● Supervise QC inspectors on the production floor for 24/7 shift operations.
● Oversee checks on Preform/Container Weight, Dimensions (height, diameter), Wall Thickness, Top Load Strength, Closure Torque, and Visual Defects (black specks, haze, discoloration).
● Ensure proper Barrier Testing for multi-layer bottles (critical for juice and oil packaging).
● Raw Material & Supplier Quality:
● Approve incoming PET resins, colorants, master batches, and closures against strict specifications.
● Manage relationships with suppliers on quality issues and coordinate Material Certificates of Analysis.
3. Laboratory Management:
● Oversee lab testing, which may include Dimensional Analysis, Burst Pressure Tests, Stress Crack Resistance tests (with chemicals like NaOH).
● Coordinate advanced tests like Migration Tests (to ensure no harmful substances leach into food) often done at external accredited labs.
4. Non-Conformance Management:
● Hold Authority: Isolate and quarantine non-conforming products (rejects, regrind).
● Lead Root Cause Analysis (using tools like 5 Whys, Fishbone diagrams) for recurring defects like incomplete fills, short shots, or streaking.
● Issue and follow up on Corrective and Preventive Actions (CAPA). 5. Calibration & Equipment:
● Ensure all measuring and testing equipment (gauges, scales, and micrometers) are regularly calibrated and maintained.
6. Leadership & Administrative
Roles ● Team Leadership
& Training:
● Train, mentor, and schedule QC inspectors and technicians.
● Foster a "Quality First" culture on the shop floor, encouraging operators to be the first line of defense.
7. Reporting & Communication:
● Generate daily/weekly Quality Performance Reports (First Pass Yield, Rejection Rates, and Customer Complaints) for management.
● Serve as the key liaison between Production, Maintenance, and Sales/Planning departments on quality matters.
● Handle customer complaints professionally, leading technical investigations and preparing formal response reports.
8. Continuous Improvement (Kaizen):
● Initiate projects to reduce waste (scrap), improve process capability, and enhance efficiency while maintaining quality, directly impacting Silafrica's profitability. 9. New Product Introduction (NPI) Support:
● Work closely with the Tooling and Production teams during mold trials for new containers, establishing initial quality parameters and inspection standards.
● Technology & Variety: Must understand Injection Stretch Blow Molding (ISBM) and Extrusion Blow Molding processes for a wide range of containers (from small bottles to large crates for packaging).
● Export Focus: Silafrica supplies across East Africa and beyond, so understanding regional market standards (Tanzania, Uganda, and Rwanda) is a plus.
● Sustainability: Involvement in quality aspects of recycled content products, which are a growing market segment.
PROCESSING INSPECTION OFFICER 01/2022- NOV 2025 Mr. Green Trading Africa Kenya Limited - Nairobi, Kenya.
Mr. Green Trading Africa Kenya Limited deals in the recycling of used plastics which are pre- sorted into different types of plastics like HDPE, PP, BT, CC, LDPE, and Thermoforms. The plastics are then sorted into different colors, crushed into flakes, washed and processed into pellets, and sold to plastic manufacturing companies. At Mr. Green, I perform the following duties;
Roles and Responsibilities
● Quality Control & Inspection.
Inspect incoming raw materials and processed products to ensure they meet company and regulatory standards.
Identify non-conformities and coordinate corrective and preventive actions.
Conduct visual, physical, and measurement-based inspections at various production stages.
● Process Monitoring.
Monitor production processes to ensure compliance with Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and Quality Management System (QMS) requirements.
Collaborate with production staff to improve efficiency while maintaining product quality.
● Documentation & Reporting.
Maintain detailed records of inspections, test results, and deviations.
Prepare daily, weekly, or monthly quality performance reports for management review.
Support internal and external audits by providing accurate quality documentation.
● Training & Compliance.
Train production staff on quality standards, hygiene, and safety practices.
Ensure compliance with environmental and occupational health and safety regulations.
● Continuous Improvement.
Participate in process improvement initiatives to enhance product quality and reduce waste.
Recommend and implement quality improvement tools like 5S, Kaizen, or root cause analysis.
QA ASSISTANT 08/2022 - Current Mr. Green Trading Africa Kenya Limited - Nairobi, Kenya
● Identifying nonconformities for product defects and raising them with the production team to ensure immediate corrective actions are put in place.
● Carry out bi-hourly quality inspections and tests and record the results at the set time intervals in Odoo.
● Co-ordinate the sorting team as they sort different types of plastics.
● Perform quality analysis on the processed product (flakes and pellets batch analysis) using the (MFI indexer, color spectrophotometer, FTIR, Oven, and Digital Density test machine).
● Water Analysis (PH, Temp, TDS, EC).
● Feedstock Analysis.
● Timely data recording and scorecard updates.
● Retaining all samples tested and disposing of them once the disposal date is due.
● Conducting sample tests from external parties.
● Preparation of certificate of analysis (COA).
● Sample preparation for the sales team.
● Sorted material quality check.
● Sample feedstock from supplier testing.
● Communication with the sales team on the state of each batch.
● Carry out final product quality inspection before material dispatch to the specified client.
● Ensuring that the lab equipment is well-serviced and calibrated at the right time. PRODUCTION ASSISTANT 06/2021 - Current Mr. Green
Trading Africa Kenya Limited - Nairobi, Kenya.
● Ensuring a safe working environment and use of personal protective equipment by all employees/service providers working or visiting the plant
● Ensuring the production of high-quality products by emphasizing on use of SOPs and enforcing in-process quality checks by the operators
● Liaising with the Quality assurance and technical team to look into root causes of non- conformances and coming up with effective corrective actions, implementing those actions, and following up to ensure no recurrence of the same incident.
● Ensure proper production planning product-wise and follow up Monthly, weekly, and daily production planning as per demand from the market and forecasted quantities to meet and exceed customer expectations.
● Establish an SLA (Service Level Agreement) checklist and audit, and track all remarks for improvements.
● Set, monitor, and follow up production output to ensure maximum production efficiency is achieved.
● Collect and analyze various data from the production floor regarding process quality parameters to give guidance in improvement.
● Schedule, plan, and conduct and plan shift handing-over meetings to discuss current situations and come up with ideas for improvement. ASSISTANT QC 03/2020 - 05/2021 BIDCO Processing Company of Kenya - THIKA, Kenya BIDCO AFRICA of Kenya deals with the production and refining of crude oil. (Soft oil and normal oil). The following were the responsibilities; 1. QC SUPERVISOR
● Inspect and approve incoming raw materials before use in production.
● Maintain QC records as per legal and company standards. Process monitoring as per the company-set
Standards.
● Conduct tests on finished products and ensure all deviations are identified and corrective actions implemented as per the company requirement.
● Report on any process deviations or potentials to consistently ensure quality.
● Daily, weekly, and monthly reports are submitted to the quality assurance manager. • To standardize new analytical procedures for processing in or finished goods of oil refineries or soap plants.
● To supervise the implementations of procedures for ‘product startup / change over’ for soap manufacturing and packaging lines.
● To prepare and standardize the reagents to be used in the day-to-day laboratory of the plant.
● To analyze the quality of the packed finished goods and packaging per standards requirements.
● To timely and correctly maintain the quality records of packed materials.
● Ensure all the equipment consumes energy inclusive of lights, electricity, and air as per BAL energy management policy.
● Assist the associate in analyzing the competitor's samples for physical, chemical, and sensory analysis and maintaining records.
● Analysis of raw materials and finished products. EDUCATION
DEDAN KIMAITH UNIVERSITY- NYERI BSC industrial chemistry (chemistry), 17/2021 second class honors (Upper, division)
Maai Mahiu -NAIVASHA A-Levels K.C.S.E, 27/2017
OTHER CERTIFICATES AND AWARDS
● ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management Systems.
● ISO 45001:2018 Occupational Health & Safety Management Systems. ● Internal Audit Awareness (Ongoing) ● Computer Studies.
● Business Process Analyst (Ongoing)
● Active membership certificate of chemistry club.
● Chairperson of the chemistry club.
● Letter of recognition for participation in math context.
● Letter of recognition for participation in a sub-county football tournament.
● Letter of recognition for participation in under-14 football tournaments. SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES
● Solves problems by getting to the root cause by creating innovative solutions.
● Easily accepts change without distraction.
● Inspires and motivates others in team events and can give clear direction. • o Convincing power (leadership)
● HACCP, GMP, ISO 22000, KEBS Standards
● Lab Testing (Moisture Content, Sieve Analysis, etc.)
● Food Safety & Hygiene Protocols
● Non-Conformance Investigations (CAPA)
● Internal Audits & Regulatory Inspections
● Data Analysis & Reporting (MS Excel, QA Tools)
● Cross-Department Collaboration
● Training & SOP Development
● Knowledge of SAP.
● Good mathematical skills.
● Excellent analytical skills.
● Ability to pay attention to details.
● Able to apply written instructions to machine set-up and maintenance.
● Ability to identify opportunities and establish new initiatives.
● Ability to work long hours and on shifts.
● Kaizen Process Methodology
● Quality control and supervision.
REFEREE
ROBERT NJOROGE.
PRODUCTION MANAGER.
MARTINE ABRAHAM
PLANT MANAGER
*******@**************.***
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