Javier Salas

Operational Excellence & Industrial Engineering Manager with 15+ years of experience leading Lean transformations across automotive and food manufacturing. Proven success building high-performing teams, delivering over USD 800K in validated savings, improving OEE by 10%, increasing EBITDA by up to 16%, and leading Industrial Engineering, TPM, and Manufacturing Excellence initiatives for global organizations.

OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE AND INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING MANAGER at VERITAS AUTOMOTIVE (2020-02 – 2026-07)

Operational Excellence, Industrial Engineering & Manufacturing Leader with 15+ years of experience driving business transformation through Lean Manufacturing across the automotive and food industries. Proven record of building high-performing Operational Excellence organizations, leading multidisciplinary teams—including six Industrial Engineers—and delivering sustainable operational and financial results. Generated over USD 800K in validated savings, increased OEE by 10%, improved EBITDA by up to 16%, and optimized plant capacity through Lean strategy, TPM/VPS, Industrial Engineering, and Theory of Constraints.

Trusted partner for GM, Stellantis, and Toyota in new product launches, manufacturing readiness, and operational excellence initiatives. Certified in PFMEA (VDA/VGA), AIAG Core Tools, RED X, and Lean Manufacturing, with extensive expertise in IATF 16949, APQP, and world-class manufacturing systems.

PLANT OPTIMIZATION MANAGER at THE GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY (2016-03 – 2019-10)

• Led the deployment of the House of Excellence across manufacturing operations, embedding Lean Manufacturing, TPM, Autonomous Maintenance, Planned Maintenance, and Zero Loss methodologies to drive a high-performance culture.
• Lean Six Sigma successfully delivered projects that increased OEE by 5%, reduced process variation, and improved productivity.
• Selected for an intensive two-year Plant Optimization development program in Brazil, the company's benchmark manufacturing facility, gaining advanced expertise in world-class manufacturing practices.
• Played a key role in ramping up production to 18,000 tires per day while ensuring operational stability, process standardization, and sustainable performance.

LEADER INDUSTRAIL ENGINEER AND CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT at HERDEZ – BARILLA – MCCORMICK (2012-02 – 2016-03)

World Class Manufacturing (WCM) Certified professional with regional responsibility for deploying WCM across 16 manufacturing plants in partnership with Tetra Pak. Led Lean, TPM, and Continuous Improvement transformations while successfully launching the new Zumpango manufacturing facility and driving sustainable Operational Excellence across multiple sites.

MASTER DEGREE IN STRATEGIC PLANNING AND INOVVATION in Strategic Planning and Innovation – AUTONOMOUS UNIVERSITY OF SAN LUIS POTOSÍ

MECHANICAL ELECTRICAL ENGINEER in Mechanical Electrical Engineering – AUTONOMOUS UNIVERSITY OF SAN LUIS POTOSÍ (2012-11)