Paul Sedgwick-Smith

Senior manufacturing and operations professional with 35+ years of progressive experience from hands-on CNC machining, programming and production engineering through engineering, production, factory and base management. International experience across the United Kingdom, Malaysia and Indonesia, with a practical record of improving machining methods, production flow, quality, workforce capability and delivery in automotive, aerospace, marine, oil & gas, heavy engineering and mining-equipment environments. Combines deep shop-floor manufacturing knowledge with customer management, commercial oversight, QHSE/API Q1 responsibilities, subcontract management and equipment/CAPEX implementation.

Technical Specialist, Special Operations at Vector Indonesia (2024-12 – 2026-08)

Sumbawa - Liner Plate Project (approx. 14 months) Batam - Heavy Fabrication / Mining Equipment Operations

• Established a new CNC manufacturing section for a liner-plate project, including three CNC milling machines, CNC plasma cutting, laser cutting, and a deburring/grinding area.
• Coordinated machine introduction and supplier support; personally programmed CNC equipment and trained local personnel in machine operation and CNC programming.
• Ran the project from initial setup through delivery against a demanding schedule, leading approximately 30 personnel and controlling production and delivery priorities.
• Managed subcontracted work required to protect the project schedule and resolved manufacturing issues arising from design and model changes.
• Received customer 3D models from Amman, coordinated creation of manufacturing drawings, approved drawings before customer submission, and participated in customer meetings and design revisions.
• Transitioned the project from development and initial manufacture into repeat-order production.
• Returned to Batam and took operational oversight of a heavy-fabrication facility of approximately 150 personnel, with shop-floor operations reporting through the production/project management structure.
• Oversaw progress against project schedules for Duratray and Quad mining-truck trays, water tanks, buckets, Rock cabins and other heavy-fabrication products.
• Worked closely with the Production Manager, supervisors and QC to monitor completion targets, resolve production issues and maintain required fabrication quality.
• Applied Kaizen/Six Sigma thinking to repeat production, including production-line concepts and dedicated fixtures for recurring tray designs; developed a line-boring jig concept to reduce setup time.
• Managed significant subcontract activity for steel cutting, rolling and pressing, including regular coordination with PT Shibaura and development of an additional subcontractor for a smaller tray design.
• Coordinated introduction of a new CNC laser-cutting machine; equipment had been delivered and installation/commissioning was underway at the end of the assignment.
• Contributed to evaluation and procurement of a specialist heavy press from China (on order at departure) and evaluation of plate-rolling capability, drawing on specialist fabrication advice where required.

Base Manager | previously Operations Manager at Indo Kaya Energi (IKE) (2017-10 – 2024-10)

• Recruited following a request from Oil States International (OSI) for experienced expatriate operational oversight of its work manufactured by IKE in Batam.
• Progressed from Operations Manager to Base Manager, taking increasing responsibility for day-to-day operations and becoming the principal operational interface with OSI.
• Led a multidisciplinary workforce typically around 50-80 personnel depending on workload, covering CNC machining, SAW welding and helpers, pipe refurbishment, phosphating, QC, stores, maintenance and material handling.
• Oversaw manufacture of oilfield conductor components approximately 18-36 inches, involving machining/threading of forged connections and welding to pipe, including multiple OSI connection designs.
• Reviewed manufacturing and quality routings before submission to OSI; coordinated CMM reports and customer communication on quality issues.
• Improved shop-floor discipline, working-hours control, housekeeping, workflow and production communication; supported CNC programming and manufacturing issues.
• Introduced stand-up toolbox/operations meetings for department heads to improve cross-functional communication and coordination.
• Prepared monthly production/value spreadsheets and quotations for machining, welding and phosphating work; reviewed commercial submissions before owner approval and supported costing of pipe inventory and overflow work.
• Served as Management Representative (MR) for API Q1, taking over the responsibility from the previous Base Manager and acting as the principal management representative during API audits.

Machine Shop Manager at Tinius Olsen (2016-10 – 2017-10)

• Managed a five-person CNC machining section with five machines within a specialist manufacturer of materials-testing equipment.
• Planned and allocated machining work according to production priorities, machine capability and delivery requirements; produced holders, clamps and other precision components, predominantly in stainless steel.
• Provided CNC programming and technical support where required while allowing experienced machinists appropriate autonomy.
• Coordinated with other departmental managers to align machining priorities with wider manufacturing schedules and customer deliveries.
• Improved workflow and setup practices and evaluated future use of CAD/CAM programming.

Workshop Manager at Downhole Services (MRS) (2015-10 – 2016-02)

• Joined to provide hands-on technical/manufacturing support for a pipe-threading contract where the existing workforce had limited experience of the required setups.
• Supported CNC setup, programming and machining methods to improve setup efficiency and complete the customer order.
• Worked with the QC Manager to support introduction of API Q1 processes in preparation for anticipated pipe-threading work.
• Worked within a workshop rebuilding and servicing CNC machine tools, bucking machines and deep-hole boring equipment and providing industrial maintenance services.

Production Manager at Midland Engineering / Gabbro Asia (2011-07 – 2015-10)

• Joined the UK operation in July 2011 and was selected for an initial three-month productivity-improvement assignment in Johor Bahru in April 2012; the assignment developed into a long-term expatriate Production Manager role.
• Identified machining-method issues in speeds, feeds, tooling and process planning and reduced cycle times by approximately 50% on a number of components/processes, materially increasing output and capacity.
• Managed production scheduling and machine utilisation across CNC machining and deep-hole boring operations and worked closely with Quality to resolve manufacturing issues.
• Led tooling selection and manufacturing-method improvements and cross-trained operators across different machines to improve workforce flexibility.
• Participated in implementation of an ERP system and maintained regular toolbox/production meetings to strengthen communication and control.
• Worked with the Sales Manager in customer-facing/business-development activity with major oil & gas customers including NOV, Halliburton, Weatherford and Hunting Energy.

Applications Engineer at Tooling Units (Leicester) Ltd (2010-10 – 2011-07)

• Programmed and tooled CNC lathes and milling machines for precision components serving testing instruments/systems, special applications, electronics and communications.

Project Engineer -> Engineering Manager at H. Beesleys / Bromford Technologies (2008-03 – 2010-10)

• Joined as Project Engineer for complex gas-turbine and Rolls-Royce Marine components, covering fixture design, programming, project management of tooling and manufacture of initial sample components.
• Worked on nozzle guide vanes, vane inserts and stator-vane segments, including re-engineering selected components from cast to machined/fabricated manufacture.
• Promoted to Engineering Manager after several months, managing engineering workflow to the shop floor and coordinating work to meet customer requirements.
• Took responsibility for engineering activities associated with Rolls-Royce nuclear submarine work, working directly with the customer on quality and production-flow requirements.
• Supported transfer of the nuclear-related work to Bromford's Scudamore Road facility during wider business restructuring.

Applications Engineer at APT Engineering (2006-05 – 2008-03)

• Programmed and tooled fixed- and sliding-head bar-feed CNC machines to improve efficiency and cost effectiveness, enabling unmanned running for periods of up to 12 hours.

Applications Engineer at Solutek (2005-05 – 2006-05)

• Worked in a two-person precision engineering business with responsibility for quoting, CNC programming, machining and delivery across aerospace, motorsport, printing and telecom work, from one-offs to batches of approximately 2,000.
• Customers included Ilmor, AET, ADM and Timsons; monthly output and profit from the CNC machines more than doubled during the year.

Product Manager | Production Engineer | CNC Setter/Operator/Programmer at H. Beesleys (2001-05 – 2005-05)

• Progressed from CNC Setter/Operator/Programmer on a DMG CNC mill to Production Engineer and then Product Manager.
• As Production Engineer, managed quality output for CNC milling and CNC wire/EDM activity and produced drawings/programs using Think3 and Excalibur CAD/CAM systems.
• As Product Manager, held responsibility for CNC and conventional machining of aerospace, marine, motorsport and printing components for customers including Rolls-Royce, Smiths, Doncasters, Ilmor and Timsons.
• Managed tight delivery/sales requirements while producing much of the CNC programming.

Programme Setter Operator at Mibert Precision (1997-06 – 2001-05)

• Programmed, set and operated Mazatrol CNC lathes on high-priority one-off and batch work; produced in-house fixtures and gauges.
• Oversaw approximately 10 CNC lathe operators in the supervisor's absence.
• Compiled and delivered Kaizen and 5S improvement activities/presentations, including a two-week Kaizen project presented to more than 50 employees and customer/contractor guests.

Product Manager | Team Leader at Linread Automotives (1990-03 – 1997-06)

• Progressed from shop-floor manufacturing into Team Leader and Product Manager roles.
• Held responsibility for a dedicated manufacturing cell producing automotive components for customers including Rover and Eaton Transmissions.