Rubber Mixing Manager (Head of Production)

Job summary

Job Title Rubber Mixing Manager (Head of Production) Location SPC Maerdy, Wales (Rhondda Cynon Taf) Occasional travel to SPC Westbury HQ (Wiltshire) Reporting Line Reports to: Plant Manager Direct reports: Production Supervisors / Team Leaders, Mixing & Milling Operators, Calendering/Downstream Leads (as applicable) Role Purpose Lead all rubber mixing and milling operations at the Maerdy site and act as Head of Production for the plant—delivering safe, consistent, on-time manufacture of high-quality rubber compounds and downstream rubber products (including calendered output). The Maerdy facility has recently expanded capability with an investment in a new calendering line , increasing scope and production responsibility at site. Key Responsibilities Production Leadership (Plant Head of Production) Own day-to-day production performance across mixing, milling, and downstream operations (e.g., batching, sheet-off, strainers/extrusion where present, calendering, packing). Deliver SQDC: Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost , including labour planning and shift organisation. Set and manage KPIs (OEE, scrap/rework, right-first-time, output vs plan, complaints, downtime). Rubber Compounding, Mixing & Milling Excellence Lead manufacture of technical and colour rubber compounds to specification (polymers, fillers, oils/plasticisers, curatives, process aids). Optimise internal mixing and two-roll milling parameters (ram pressure, rotor speed, mix stages, drop temps, mill settings, cooling, sheet gauges). Ensure robust process control : batch traceability, temperature control, dispersion, scorch control, contamination prevention, and housekeeping standards. Downstream / Calendering / Value-Add (Desirable Strength) Oversee (or collaborate closely with) downstream conversion including calendering/sheeting and rubberised fabric operations as applicable. Drive start-up discipline, recipe/setting control, and QA checks for downstream output to customer requirements. Quality, Compliance & Safety Enforce safe systems of work for high-risk manufacturing (chemicals handling, moving rolls, LO/TO, dust/fume control, manual handling). Partner with QA to maintain consistent conformance: in-process checks, lab testing routines, nonconformance management, and CAPA closure. Maintain audit readiness (e.g., ISO-style systems are common in this sector) and customer standard compliance. Continuous Improvement & Technical Problem Solving Lead root cause investigations for defects (dispersion, scorch, cure variance, hardness drift, contamination, surface defects, gauge variation). Reduce scrap and cycle time; improve mixing consistency and throughput using structured CI methods (Lean, 5S, SMED, Kaizen, SPC). People Leadership Build a high-performing culture: coaching, training matrices, SOP discipline, succession planning. Lead recruitment, onboarding, performance management, and engagement for production teams. Planning, Materials & Cross-site Collaboration Work with Planning/Supply Chain on raw material availability, batching schedules, and finished goods dispatch. Coordinate with Westbury HQ teams (technical, commercial, group operations) and travel as required for reviews, training, and alignment. Ideal Candidate Profile (What “Good” Looks Like) Essential Experience Significant hands-on and leadership experience in rubber compounding / rubber mixing in a manufacturing environment. Strong working knowledge of: Internal mixing (multi-stage mixing, temperature control, dispersion management) Two-roll milling (banding, refining, gauge control, sheet quality) Proven experience managing a production area/team (supervisors, shift patterns, output targets, discipline, training). Highly Desirable Experience with downstream rubber processing , especially calendering and/or sheeting/rubberised fabrics. Exposure to technically demanding applications and tight tolerance manufacturing (traceability, customer specs, batch consistency). Knowledge & Skills Materials knowledge: elastomers, fillers, plasticisers, cure systems (sulphur/peroxide), accelerators, retarders. Quality & testing awareness (e.g., Mooney viscosity, rheometer/cure curves, hardness, tensile, specific gravity—depending on your lab setup). Strong leadership, communication, and problem-solving; confident leading shop-floor change. Comfortable with production systems/ERP, batch documentation, and KPI reporting. Education (Flexible) Technical qualification in polymers/rubber technology/engineering/manufacturing preferred, but equivalent experience is fine. What Success Looks Like (First 6–12 Months) Stable, capable mixing operation delivering consistent batches , reduced scrap, improved OEE. Clear standard settings for mixers/mills and (if applicable) calendering/downstream. Trained, engaged teams with visible safety and quality improvements. Strong cross-site rhythm with Westbury (reporting, escalation, support). Working Pattern Site-based role at Maerdy, Wales . Occasional travel to Westbury HQ (Wiltshire) and potentially other SPC locations for group alignment/training (as needed)