Plant Quality Assurance

GAGANDEEP SINGH BEDI

Tel.: +971-**-******* / +971-**-*******;

e-Mail: *******@*****.***, *******@*****.***

Aspiring for senior level assignment to head Plant Operations, Production Management, Quality Assurance/ Quality Control, Process Management with a reputed organisation in Food & Beverage / FMCG Sector.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

A judicious leader with 20 Years’ in Plant Operations, Production Management, Quality Assurance, Quality Control, Audits, Maintenance, New Product Development, Plant and People Safety

Currently Heading the Snacks Plant Operations of TIFFANY Foods Pvt. Ltd., SHARJAH (a division of IFFCO Group) from Sep’08. Associated with the plant from Dec’06 as Manager – Production. Established the Potato Chips Line Operations and effectively handled the Snacks plant operations, while establishing the systems & practices. Established Potato receiving, sampling, storage and stock rotation procedures. Facilitating Competency Training Matrix for the factory, in which Trainings are being conducted for +600 Workmen and Staff in about 150 Training Modules. The training modules range from Production, Maintenance, Health & Safety, Team building and Capability building. As head of Site Safety Committee, driving the Safety Critical path implementation project. The critical path activities include Emergency plan, Layouts, Signage Fixing, Check sheets, Audits, PPE adherence, Risk assessment and maximum of hands on Safety trainings and their tracking, personally driven by me.

Worked with Cakes & Wafers Plant Operations of Seville Products Ltd., DUBAI, as Plant Head, for a brief period from Feb’08 to Aug’08. Seville Products Ltd. Is another division of IFFCO Group, which has manufacturing facility for Chocolate, Candies, Wafers, Cakes, Pasta and Noodles.

Worked with PEPSICO India Holdings Pvt. Ltd. (Frito-Lay Snacks Division) for a period of 11 years.

Played a pivotal part in executing the ERP Implementation (ORACLE) in PepsiCo Process Manufacturing after being trained by IT experts from BOCC, Mexico.

Distinction of steering improvement initiatives with focus on streamlining & managing plant operations with proactive planning, introducing new concepts, steering change, etc. Strong skills in conducting regulatory audits.

Expertise & hands on experience in major process equipments like Fully Automated Fryers from HEAT & CONTROL Potato Chips & Fried Pellet Lines, Potato Chips Optical Sorters (OPTYX from KEY Controls), Urschel Slicers, Vanmark Peelers, Snacks Extruders (Random, Single Screw, Twin Screw), Fruit Juice Evaporators & Dryers, HAAS Biscuit & Wafer Oven, Imaforni Biscuit Oven, Peters Cream Mixing and Sandwiching machine, Biscuit Moulders, Depositors and Wire cutters, Biscuit packing machines from SIG & BOSCH, FFS packing machines from TNA, Sandiacre, ISHIDA and BOSCH, Distribution systems from WRIGHT Packing, Dry, Liquid & Slurry Flavouring systems from WRIGHT, ARCALL, K-Tron

Astutely handled the IR issues and running plant in union free environment (Eastern India, Kolkata).

Distinctively working on TPM platform to achieve Manufacturing Excellence. Experience in vast areas comprising Food Plant Manufacturing, Plant Maintenance and Project Implementation of Snacks Plant, Fruit & Vegetable Processing Plant, Aerated Beverage Plant, Dairy Plant, Meat Processing Plant, Cake Processing Plant, Wafer Processing Plant and Biscuit Plant.

Excellent communication, analytical and problem solving skills with the distinction of receiving recognition for exemplary performance.

KEY EXPERTISE;

Plant/ Manufacturing Operations Quality Assurance Process Development

Technology Transfers Process Validation/ Calibrations Vendor Management

Quality Improvements Systems Implementation Team Management/ Trainings

Safety Health & Environment Agro Warehousing Post Harvest Technology

COMPETENCY MATRIX

Plant/ PPC/ Maintenance Operations

Overseeing production related tasks including planning, control & trouble shooting for achieving the planned periodic schedules in TPM way of Production and Lean Production Management.

Preparing operational budgets and ensuring adherence to the same.

Planning preventive maintenance of various machineries for maximum uptime.

Evaluating vendor performance to ensure supply of quality material.

Hiring, hands on training, mentoring new/ existing staff for plant operations with a strong emphasis on consistency of daily production goals.

New Product Development

Developing new products and cost effective recipes thus generating incremental volumes within cost parameters.

Initiating modifications and variants of existing products, keeping in mind consumer tastes and preferences.

Monitoring the products and its ingredient composition thus ensuring cost control activities.

New Initiatives

Suggesting and sourcing new technologies for new products and process.

Overseeing layout, installation & commissioning of machines/ equipment as part of new projects/ in-house initiatives.

Establishing processes on machines & conducting tests to determine operational effectiveness.

Project Planning & Implementation

Conceptualising & implementing projects, annual improvement plans for process reengineering & technology absorption for expansion & revamping of the plant.

Ensuring seamless coordination & execution of projects within time & budgetary parameters.

Process Engineering

Developing processes & formulations for manufacturing products & establishing process parameters.

Conducting trials, identifying deviations & making relevant modifications to stabilise products.

Quality Control/ Compliance

Monitoring adherence to quality systems standards such as HACCP, GMPs , Standardization of Product Specifications, SOPs , CIP Procedures.

Driving food safety & hygiene agenda & getting plant certified; Complying to the various standards like AIB, BRC, USDA, DPI, FDA.

Identifying assignable and chronic causes by the use of latest analysis techniques for eliminating wastages while enhancing plant efficiency and productivity.

Planning and monitoring the “Continual Improvement Programmes” for quality improvement.

Safety, Health and Environment

Taking direct charge of the Plant and Employees Safety, Health and Environment

Driving SHE to impact belief/ ownership as line function & getting plant OHSAS certified.

Personally conducting the Plant Safety Audits and ensuring to plug the gaps, if any.

Heading the Factory Site Safety Committee and personally driving the Safety Critical path implementation project.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

In Dec’06 joined IFFCO Group Company, TIFFANY Foods Pvt. Ltd., SHARJAH as Manager – Production, Snacks Plant.

IFFCO Group has a Snacks and Biscuits Plant in, SHARJAH by the name of Tiffany Foods Ltd. IFFCO is an established group of companies in UAE and other Asian countries. It is one of the 2 Snacks Leaders in UAE. This unit is also a co-packing facility for General Mills (USA), for their Fried Pellet Product by the Brand Name of BUGLES. Ready to eat Pop Corn is packed by the Brand name of Papa-Joe. Other products being manufactured in the same factory site are Sweet & Salty Dry Biscuits, Cream Sandwich Biscuits, Cookies and Center filled Biscuits.

Played a pivotal part in handling the activities in regards to re-launch its Potato Chips (Tiffany Crisp).

Controlled the new products being developed, planned the equipment setup and implemented the project in given timelines.

Secured various certifications for the plants after proper implementation of various GMPs, Standardization of Product Specifications, SOPs, CIP Procedures, Operations & Safety Formats, Training of Operations Team. Thus maintained world class Hygiene/ Production standards of Food Industry.

Trained the key plant personnel and operators in calculating the Plant Efficiency parameters and monitoring of the same on daily basis.

Played an important role in boosting the Productivity of Snacks plant (Doubled in a span of one year)

Controlled the Direct Cost of Production, including Manpower, Consumables, Utilities and Plant maintenance Cost well within the budgeted figures.

Played important role in leading the Safety initiatives in the TIFFANY factory (Snacks & Biscuits Plants) and implementing the Safety Critical Path.

Acted as First Point Contact for collating information of TIFFANY operations (Snacks and Biscuits Lines), for all inputs required for ongoing ERP Implementation (BAAN to ORACLE)

Identified, Audited and established 3rd Party Agro Warehouses for Storage of Potato in right conditions. In country like UAE there are hardly any Agriculture farms. Potatoes are imported from other countries. Played an important role in improving the Potato Receipt Quality by working with Potato Suppliers. Trained the plant team in Sampling, Checking, Tagging and Lot Control procedures for Potato Storage.

Currently Heading the Snacks Plant since Sept’08.

Apr’96-Dec’06 with PepsiCo India Holdings Pvt. Ltd. (FritoLay Division); lastly designated as Assistant Manager – Production

A PepsiCo Group Company, Frito-Lay India, is market leader in Potato Chips and extruded snacks with brands like Lays, Uncle Chips, Kurkure, Lehar and Cheetos.

Growth Path;

Apr’96-Mar’99 Executive

Apr’99-Dec’02 Senior Executive

Jan’03-Dec’06 Assistant Manager – Production

Co-ordinated & handled manufacturing of Kolkata Plant; handled the commissioning of Potato Chips Line (2100 lb/ hr of PC Line supplied by HEAT & CONTROL) & Kurkure Line (Extruded Fried Product).

Astutely accomplished Vertical StartUp (means sellable product from day one) of new plant with all new operatives.

Distinctively rendered training to the manpower of this new plant in classroom & hands on sessions during the erection stages of the project; training topics included SOPs, GMPs and HACCP & TPM implementation right from start. Planned and mapped a Training Matrix for the complete team. The manpower included staff as well as operatives from production, quality assurance, maintenance, RM/PM stores, Agro stores, Engg stores and FG Stores.

Played key role in getting the plant OHSAS and HACCP certified.

Played a pivotal part as a part of the 5 member Core team; performed fastest implementation of ERP, ORACLE 11i (OPM & PTP modules) in 3 plant locations & HO in a record time of 5 months. {Totalling one year in ERP Team}. Was a part of the ORACLE to SAP migration team (Nov-Dec 2006)

Instrumentally till Jun’03 I was in North India Plant; handled production planning & production of Potato Chip Lines (2 lines of 1000 lb/hr of PC and 1 PC line of 600 lb/hr, supplied by HEAT & CONTROL), Fried Pellet Line, Baked/ Extruded Product Line (Random Extruders from R & D MACHINE SHOP).

Was associated with the first line trials of the flagship brand of India Fritolay, KURKURE. Established the usage time of spares in Random Extruders and successfully developed the Cost effective spares for the same.

Oversaw implementation of Quality Wall, a new concept in Quality Management; improvement procedures in Kurkure Quality & Productivity.

Worked on Complete Chip Project; conducted International Warehouse Audit and explored Export Business growth potential at DHAKA, Bangladesh.

Developed all the formats for the plant machinery from time to time.

With the help of ERP database reporting system DISCOVEROR (mapped to ORACLE), implemented the On-Line Efficiency Reporting system in 3 plants. Trained the various Mangers, Executives and plant operatives for easy monitoring of on-line plant operational efficiencies.

Was designated as the Subject Matter Expert for chips OPTICAL Sorters used in 3 different Snacks Plants; was the One Point Contact for any Problem, issues, standardisation and design development of the same.

PAST JOB HISTORY

Jan’94-Apr’96 PML Industries Ltd. (Meat Processing Division) Mechanical Engineer 100% EOU, Boneless Buffalo Meat Processing Facility

July’91-Dec’93 Nijjer Agro Foods Ltd. (Fruit & Veg Processing Division)

Plant Engineer A Co-Packer of NESTLE India Ltd. Facility to process Vegetable & Fruit for making Pulps, Puree & Paste.(upto 330 Tons Per Day capacity). A Dairy Plant (1 lac litre per day milk handling capacity). Nijjer Agro is processing division of Nijjer Farms & Seeds Ltd.

The group has a base of Agro Farming, Green House Farming and has entered into Canning and Packing of various Agro products like Canned Baby cucumber, Baby Carrot, Baby Corn, Cut and Diced Fruits.

Apr’91-Jun’91 Pepsi Foods Ltd. (Fruit & Veg Processing Division)

Trainee Engineer Tomato Paste Processing Plant (660 Tons Per Day capacity)

ACADEMIC CREDENTIALS

M.B.A (Operations) from IGNOU, India in 2000.

Project Undertaken: Title: Study of Supply Chain Procedures and its Managerial Constraints.

B. Tech (Agriculture Engineering) from Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, India in 1990.

Cleared IELTS with Overall Band Score of 7.5 in September, 2009

TRAININGS UNDERWENT

Trained in ORACLE APM (Advanced Production Management) module by trainers from BOCC (Back Office Competency Centre of FritoLay, MEXICO). The same was done at three weeks Boot camp held in Bangkok where Teams from India, China, Taiwan, Thailand and Singapore attended the Training Camp.

Trained in Sensory Skills by experts from Frito Lay R&D, Global Division.

Trained on Small Group Activity (SGA) Management Skills and Structural Problem Solving Techniques by Mr. A R Hebbar and won Team Awards for effectively handling SGA Group.

Training on High Performance Team Building by Ms. Kursheed Merchant.

Short Course by Dr. Sunil Gupta based on Lateral Thinking by Dr. Edward de Bono's Institute, U.S.

Trained in Managerial Grid Works by Dr. P N Singh of Scientific Methods.

Trained in ISO22000:2005 (Food Safety Management Systems) Internal Auditors training by SGS, UAE.

Attended a month long pilot workshop on Lean Manufacturing. The same was conducted by experts from PORSCHE Consulting, Germany in classroom cum practical session. The workshop was organised in Biscuit Packing Line of Tiffany Foods Ltd., SHARJAH.

PERSONAL VITAE

Date of Birth : 5th April 1969

Address : Maitha Tower-2, Immigration Road, Al Qasmiya, Sharjah, UAE

Languages Known : English, Hindi & Punjabi

Car Driving Licence : Indian, UAE

Native City : Ludhiana, India

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