Manoj Jain

Seasoned Manufacturing, Plant Operations and Supply Chain Leader with 30+ years of progressive experience across automotive, friction materials, high-volume precision manufacturing, FMCG and industrial sectors. Proven expertise in end-to-end plant operations, multi-line/multi-plant manufacturing, capacity planning, lean systems, quality compliance, vendor development and pan-India logistics. Strong track record of delivering productivity, quality, cost and delivery excellence in regulated and OEM-driven environments.

Experienced in leading large workforces (2,000+), greenfield/brownfield projects, process industrialisation, machine-shop setup and ERP-driven operations (SAP/Kanban). Adept at translating defence and strategic manufacturing requirements into reliable, scalable and compliant production systems.

Plant Head - Soothe Healthcare

(2021-04)

• Lead end-to-end plant operations for high-volume hygiene and personal-care manufacturing (multiple sanitary napkin lines + diaper line), ensuring quality, cost, delivery, safety and regulatory compliance.
• Drive capacity utilisation, production planning and throughput improvement across multi-line operations.
• Oversee pan-India supply chain: procurement, vendor management, logistics, warehousing, inventory optimisation and distribution.
• Implement Lean, Kaizen, waste elimination and process standardisation; lead automation and preventive maintenance to improve OEE and equipment reliability.
• Manage third-party OEM manufacturing, commercial negotiations and SLAs; build and mentor cross-functional teams (Production, Quality, Maintenance, Supply Chain, Finance).

AVP – Operations - Surin Automotive - Indore

(2019-12 - 2021-04)

• Headed manufacturing operations for tipper/load-body fabrication (Tata, VECV) and earth-moving equipment (CNH, Lugion).
• Ramped production from 100 to 300 tippers/month through capacity planning, machine balancing and manpower optimisation.
• Implemented jigs/fixtures, layout improvements and process standardisation; reduced OEM audit demerits via Poka-Yoke, Kaizen and single-piece flow.
• Strengthened delivery reliability and commercial positioning with OEM customers; oversaw cost control with finance teams.

Senior General Manager – Manufacturing & Excellence - Shahi Exports Pvt. Ltd. - Noida

(2017-06 - 2019-12)

• Directed large-scale apparel manufacturing (1,000+ machines, ~2,000 employees); delivered Rs. 175 Cr annual turnover.
• Increased productivity from 57 lakh to 95 lakh SAM; reduced SAM cost from Rs. 6.45 to Rs. 4.18; achieved 90% first-hour efficiency.
• Cut changeover time from 4 days to 2 days through SMED initiatives; managed global brands (H&M, Gap, C&A, JCP, ZARA) meeting stringent quality and compliance standards.
• Received Sustained Manufacturing Excellence Award.

Head – Operations (Passenger Car & Commercial Vehicle) - Omax Auto Limited - Bawal, Lucknow & Bilaspur

(2016-03 - 2017-06)

• Led operations across four automotive plants (combined turnover Rs. 430 Cr).
• Doubled frame capacity (4,000 to 8,000 units/month); significantly improved retention tank and long-hood output.
• Stabilised bottleneck processes (plasma/laser cutting); relocated Pant Nagar plant and commissioned 1,200-ton heavy press.
• Led industrial relations, union negotiations and structured training/leadership development programs.

Vice President – Operations - Roulunds Braking India (MAT Brakes) - Sonipat

(2011-07 - 2016-03)

• Led disc brake pad manufacturing for global OEM exports (AutoZone, NAPA – USA).
• Delivered 40–50% productivity improvement through lean cell development; reduced rejection/rework to below 2%.
• Implemented SAP-based Kanban systems achieving 95% closure; reduced manpower by 16% through shift restructuring without wage impact.
• Introduced milk-run logistics and pull-based material flow.

Deputy General Manager – Operations - Omax Autos Limited - Dharuhera & Speedomax

(2007-04 - 2011-07)

• Directed multi-site operations (Rs. 480 Cr turnover) covering automotive sheet metal, machined components, tubular welded assemblies, sprockets and home-furnishing products.
• Established a dedicated machine shop for precision components and sprockets; procured and commissioned CNC Turning Centre TTC-10 from Korea, enabling high-precision machining capability and supporting new business growth.
• Achieved Manufacturing Excellence score of 74% via structured deployment of Lean, TPM and waste elimination initiatives.
• Drove Rs. 40 Cr new business growth through capability expansion, delivery reliability and customer audits/NPI support; consistently met high-volume targets (~136,000 disc brake pads/day).
• Designed and implemented lean manufacturing cells; implemented SAP-based Kanban systems improving material availability and working capital efficiency.

Senior Manager – Production - Roulunds Braking India - Sonipat

(2005-06 - 2007-04)

• Managed end-to-end production of disc brake pads, brake shoes and CV linings in an export-oriented automotive manufacturing environment.
• Designed and implemented part-wise Kanban systems with fixed batch quantities; led material handling system improvements (trolleys, bins, line-side storage).
• Played a key role in commissioning a greenfield disc brake pad manufacturing project with a capacity of 50,000 units per month.

Manager – Production - Hindustan Composites Limited

(2002-04 - 2005-06)

• Managed manufacturing operations for railway brake blocks, CV linings, disc brake pads, roll linings and other friction material products.
• Led end-to-end operations including production planning, scheduling, quality assurance, tooling and die management, and vendor development.
• Executed reverse engineering of friction material components and tooling to support localisation and cost reduction; applied practical knowledge of asbestos and non-asbestos formulations.

Assistant Manager – Production - Allied Nippon Limited - Sahibabad

(1993-10 - 2002-04)

• Managed high-volume production of friction materials (disc brake pads, brake linings, clutch facings, brake shoes); supervised mixing and moulding units with daily consumption of ~30 tons of friction material.
• Led tool-room operations including preventive maintenance, tool and die development, and in-house tooling capability enhancement; worked closely with Japanese technical teams to standardise processes.
• Commissioned a new vacuum mixing unit for non-asbestos formulation; increased productivity by ~20% and improved EOU output from 2,500 to 4,000 sets per day; reduced tooling development costs by nearly 50%.

Production Engineer - Unicast (Unit of Pharpur Cooling Tower)

(1992-12 - 1993-10)

• Supported manufacturing of fiberglass (FRP) blades and large industrial fan assemblies (2–10 m diameter) for cooling tower and heavy industrial applications.
• Involved in end-to-end production processes including mould preparation, lay-up, curing, finishing, final assembly and static balancing of large-diameter fan assemblies.
• Managed PVC profile extrusion; assisted production planning, quality checks and process standardisation in a heavy fabrication and composite manufacturing environment.

Certificate - Quality Management System - BVQI (2015-01 - 2015-01)

Graduate - Mechanical Engineering - Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University (1992 - 1992)

Graduate - Science (First Year) - DAV PG College (1988 - 1988)

Diploma - Computer Course - Extension Training Centre (1987-01 - 1987-01)