Sr. Production Planner

Job Title:  Sr Production Planner
Location: Glasgow, KY
Reports To: Materials Manager
Job Type: Exempt, Full Time

 

About 3A Composites:

3A Composites USA specializes in the manufacturing of leading substrates for the graphic display, architectural and framing markets in North America, South America and Central America. With manufacturing facilities in Benton, KY, Statesville, NC, and Glasgow, KY, and sales and marketing offices in Davidson, NC, our industry leading brands include: FOME-COR®, SINTRA®, GATOR®, DISPA®, DIBOND®, LUMEX® G and ALUCOBOND® PLUS. 3A Composites is part of the international 3A Composites Group, which belongs to the listed company Schweiter Technologies headquartered in Steinhausen, Switzerland. At 3A Composites we share common values of integrity and accountability, teamwork, trust & transparency that guide us in our dealings with customers, suppliers, and other stakeholders. More information about 3A Composites can be found at http://www.3acompositesusa.com.

 

Purpose of this role:

The purpose of this role is to develop and manage production schedules across all areas of our Glasgow, Kentucky facility, including FCL (Fomecor Line), HMC (hot melt coater), saws, packaging, TFL (thick foam line), and Hotwire, for products including FOME-COR® foam board and foam for GP Apex, aligning customer demand with production capacity, material availability and inventory objectives. This position coordinates production and material requirements across multiple functions to support efficient operations, accurate inventory and planning data, and on-time delivery to customers. It also plays a key role in controlling net working capital (NWC) through pull planning, not push planning: production runs and material purchases follow actual customer demand, so inventory stays at target levels without putting customer service at risk.

 

In this position, you will…

This role requires strong attention to detail, sound judgment, and the ability to manage changing priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment while maintaining accurate planning and inventory data within SAP.

• Build and communicate production schedules for all plant areas, including FCL, HMC, saws, packaging, TFL (thick foam line), and Hotwire, based on orders, inventory, materials, and capacity.
• Sequence runs across products (including FOME-COR® and foam for GP Apex), sizes, and thicknesses to reduce changeovers and scrap on FCL, HMC, saws, packaging, TFL, and Hotwire.
• Plan line loading and capacity for FCL, HMC, saws, packaging, TFL, and Hotwire, and coordinate the hand-offs between these areas so product flows without bottlenecks, idle time, or excess work-in-process.
• Plan using a pull approach, not a push approach: release production and material replenishment based on actual customer orders and downstream consumption signals (such as min/max levels and replenishment triggers), rather than building to forecast or to keep lines running, so work-in-process and finished-goods inventory stay lean.
• Balance make-to-stock and make-to-order production to keep inventory at target while meeting custom orders and minimizing excess finished-goods and work-in-process inventory.
• Control net working capital (NWC) through disciplined planning: set and maintain inventory targets, safety stocks, and reorder points; right-size production runs and purchase quantities; and reduce excess, slow-moving, and obsolete inventory across raw materials, work-in-process, and finished goods.
• Align material purchasing and production release to actual demand and supplier lead times to avoid early buys and overproduction, and report inventory levels, days of inventory, and NWC impact to Materials and plant leadership.
• Review sales orders, set realistic lead times, and create purchase requisitions and production orders in SAP.
• Monitor schedules daily, resolve material or capacity constraints across FCL, HMC, saws, packaging, TFL, and Hotwire, and work with Purchasing and suppliers to expedite materials.
• Keep SAP planning and inventory data accurate, and support cycle counts, physical inventory, and shipping documentation.
• Own SAP planning parameters, including MRP settings, lead times, lot sizes, and safety stock, and review them regularly so schedules and purchasing signals stay realistic.
• Participate in the monthly S&OP / demand review with Sales, Customer Service, and Production to translate the demand outlook into production and material plans.
• Build and maintain reports in Power BI and Excel on schedule adherence, inventory, and NWC for Materials and plant leadership.
• Partner with Production, Customer Service, Purchasing, Technical Services, and IT, and lead improvements to scheduling and production flow.
• Drive performance against key measures: schedule adherence, on-time delivery, inventory accuracy, changeover and scrap reduction, and NWC targets.

 

The knowledge, skills, and abilities you will bring…

• Associate degree in Business, Supply Chain, Operations, or a related field preferred, or equivalent experience.
• Five or more years of experience in production planning, scheduling, inventory control, or materials management, ideally across multiple production lines. Foam board, converting, laminating, or extrusion experience is a plus. Experience controlling inventory levels and net working capital through planning is also a plus.
• SAP experience preferred, including production planning, inventory control, production orders, purchase requisitions, and sales order acknowledgment.
• Power BI and advanced Excel skills to analyze schedules, inventory, NWC, and production data.
• Working knowledge of net working capital (NWC) drivers, including inventory levels, purchasing, and lead times, with the ability to translate planning decisions into inventory and cash impact.
• Working knowledge of pull planning and lean concepts (such as kanban and min/max replenishment); experience moving a plant from push to pull planning is a plus.
• Strong communication, problem-solving, and organization skills, with the ability to work cross-functionally with internal teams and suppliers.
• Ability to manage changing priorities and maintain accuracy in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• APICS CPIM or CSCP certification preferred.

 

What you can expect in your work environment:

• This position primarily works in an office environment within a manufacturing facility and may require regular interaction on or near the production floor.
• Must be able to sit, stand, walk, use a computer, communicate effectively, and review detailed information for extended periods of time.
• May occasionally be required to walk through production and warehouse areas, where all applicable safety requirements must be followed, including the use of required personal protective equipment (PPE).

 

 

Equal employment opportunity

 

3A Composites is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable law.