Muhammad Sabir

Manufacturing & Operations Executive with 25+ years of international leadership experience building, scaling, and transforming manufacturing organizations across Saudi Arabia, UAE, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan. Broad industry experience spanning industrial packaging, automotive manufacturing, electrical switchgear, consumer durables, commercial refrigeration, and automotive HVAC, supported by deep exposure to complex manufacturing technologies and engineered production environments. Proven track record of leading end-to-end manufacturing operations with accountability across Production, Manufacturing Engineering, Quality, Maintenance, Supply Chain, Planning, Logistics, EHS, Operational Excellence, and Capital Projects.

Successfully delivered greenfield developments, factory expansions, capacity scale-ups, equipment commissioning, technology transfer, and manufacturing transformation, integrating people, processes, technology, and performance systems to build sustainable operational capability. Experienced in managing large-scale manufacturing businesses with annual revenues exceeding USD 75 million, working capital exceeding USD 12 million, and multicultural organizations of up to 550 employees. Combines operational leadership with strong commercial and financial understanding to drive productivity, cost optimization, asset utilization, customer performance, and sustainable business results.

Recognized for building high-performing manufacturing organizations through Lean Manufacturing, TPM, OEE improvement, Manufacturing Engineering, leadership development, and continuous improvement, delivering measurable gains in productivity, quality, equipment reliability, operational discipline, and customer performance.

Plant Manager | Operations & Manufacturing Leader - Greif - Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

(2012-01 - 2026-12)

Led end-to-end operations of an integrated industrial packaging manufacturing business producing 210-liter steel drums, with accountability across Production, Manufacturing Engineering, Maintenance, Quality, Supply Chain, Planning, Inventory, Logistics, EHS, Customer Service, cost, and overall plant performance.

• Directed manufacturing across steel processing, drum body forming, welding, flanging, beading, seaming, ends manufacturing, internal and external coating, curing, leak testing, screen printing, final inspection, and dispatch, ensuring safe, reliable, and quality-focused production for major industrial customers.
• Led sustained Lean, TPM, OEE, manufacturing engineering, and process optimization initiatives, increasing OEE from 65% to 85%, improving UPMH from 4.8 to 8.5, reducing scrap from 2.7% to 0.75%, and maintaining 98% OTIF customer delivery performance.
• Delivered approximately USD 450K in cost savings through productivity improvement, process optimization, localization, waste reduction, and manufacturing improvement initiatives.
• Managed approximately USD 1.5M in CAPEX projects, including equipment modernization, production-line installations, commissioning, and manufacturing engineering initiatives, strengthening plant capability, reliability, and long-term competitiveness.
• Established a strong safety culture and operational discipline, achieving 10 consecutive years without a lost-time accident, supported by proactive EHS leadership, employee engagement, risk control, and shop-floor accountability.
• Drove operational governance through production and capacity planning, KPI management, S&OP, inventory and working-capital control, cost optimization, and cross-functional performance management, aligning manufacturing execution with commercial and customer requirements.
• Built and developed a high-performing multicultural organization through leadership development, succession planning, workforce localization, and technical capability building, while partnering with regional and corporate leadership on manufacturing strategy, business planning, CAPEX priorities, and long-term capability development.

Operations Manager | Manufacturing Expansion & Deployment - Everest Industrial Lanka - Sri Lanka

(2009-01 - 2012-12)

Appointed by the UAE Corporate Headquarters to lead the deployment, expansion, and operational development of the Sri Lanka manufacturing facility, serving as the primary corporate representative throughout the three-year scale-up program. Led manufacturing of commercial refrigerators, freezers, visi coolers, and water dispensers for export markets, with responsibility for integrated factory operations and manufacturing performance.

• Delivered a 350% capacity expansion, increasing production from 100 to 450 units/day through factory expansion, manufacturing engineering, equipment installation and commissioning, production ramp-up, process optimization, and operational stabilization.
• Built the manufacturing organization from the ground up, recruiting, developing, and training approximately 250 employees while implementing corporate manufacturing standards, SOPs, work instructions, quality systems, KPI controls, and operational governance.
• Directed end-to-end manufacturing across sheet metal fabrication, press shop operations, plastic component integration, PU foaming, powder coating, refrigeration assembly, testing, packaging, and dispatch, ensuring compliance with corporate quality and export requirements.
• Coordinated civil works, factory layout development, equipment installation, supplier development, manufacturing engineering, and cross-functional project execution, successfully stabilizing and handing over a mature manufacturing operation achieving approximately 70% OEE, with sustainable local leadership capability and disciplined operating systems.

Production Manager | Manufacturing Operations - Everest Industrial - Sharjah, UAE

(2007-01 - 2009-12)

Led integrated manufacturing operations for a high-volume commercial refrigeration facility producing commercial refrigerators, freezers, visi coolers, and water dispensers for regional and international markets.

• Directed end-to-end manufacturing across sheet metal fabrication, press shop operations, plastic component integration, PU foaming, powder coating, refrigeration assembly, testing, packaging, and export preparation, ensuring production efficiency, product quality, and on-time delivery.
• Managed production planning, manpower deployment, workflow optimization, line balancing, material coordination, and manufacturing resource utilization to achieve daily production, quality, cost, and delivery objectives.
• Drove shop-floor performance through bottleneck elimination, process optimization, productivity improvement, and cross-functional coordination with Engineering, Quality, Maintenance, Planning, and Supply Chain, strengthening production stability and operational efficiency.

Senior Production Manager | Consumer Durables Manufacturing - Orient Electronics - Lahore, Pakistan

(2006-01 - 2007-12)

Led production operations for consumer durable products including refrigerators, freezers, water dispensers, and home appliances, managing manufacturing and final assembly in a high-volume production environment.

• Directed shop-floor operations across sheet metal fabrication, forming, coating, assembly, testing, packaging, and material flow, ensuring achievement of production, quality, cost, and delivery objectives.
• Improved manufacturing performance through production planning, line balancing, manpower optimization, bottleneck elimination, and process discipline, coordinating with Engineering, Quality, Maintenance, Planning, and Supply Chain to maintain production continuity and achieve quality, cost, and delivery objectives.

Production Manager | Press Shop & Automotive Manufacturing - Procon Engineering - Lahore, Pakistan

(2004-01 - 2006-12)

Led integrated manufacturing operations for automotive sheet metal components, seating systems, injection- and blow-molded plastic components, and other automotive parts, supporting OEM programs for Honda, Toyota, Suzuki, and other automotive manufacturers.

• Directed multidisciplinary manufacturing operations across heavy press shop (60–550 ton), sheet metal fabrication, injection molding, blow molding, seating assembly, tool & die manufacturing, maintenance, quality, and production engineering, leading approximately 200 employees.
• Successfully delivered a greenfield automotive press shop, coordinating civil works, factory layout and production readiness, equipment installation, commissioning, production start-up, and operational stabilization to establish new high-volume manufacturing capability.
• Led in-house Tool Room and Manufacturing Engineering capability, including dies, jigs, fixtures, tooling support, process development, and production troubleshooting, while driving capacity planning, manpower optimization, equipment utilization, quality control, and process improvement to strengthen manufacturing readiness and responsiveness to OEM requirements.

Production Manager | Switchgear & Electrical Panel Manufacturing - Electromech Engineering - Islamabad, Pakistan

(2001-01 - 2004-12)

Led production operations for LV switchgear, distribution panels, control panels, and electrical enclosures, managing manufacturing execution from fabrication through assembly, wiring, testing, and final product completion.

• Directed manufacturing across sheet metal fabrication, panel and enclosure production, busbar preparation and assembly, installation of circuit breakers and electrical components, internal wiring, final assembly, and testing in accordance with approved engineering drawings and specifications.
• Managed production planning, manpower deployment, material coordination, workflow, manufacturing readiness, and shop-floor execution, ensuring achievement of production, quality, cost, and delivery requirements.
• Coordinated closely with Design/Engineering, Quality, Maintenance, Planning, and Materials to translate technical drawings and customer requirements into effective manufacturing execution, while driving workflow optimization, bottleneck resolution, process discipline, and resource utilization across fabrication and electrical assembly operations.

Manufacturing Engineer | Automotive HVAC Manufacturing - Sanpak Engineering (SANDEN) - Lahore, Pakistan

(1999-01 - 2001-12)

Supported manufacturing of automotive air-conditioning condensers, evaporators, and aluminum heat exchangers supplied to Honda, Toyota, Suzuki, and other automotive OEMs, working within a quality-driven automotive manufacturing environment.

• Worked across precision machining, tool room operations, condenser and evaporator manufacturing, aluminum tube and fin processing, Controlled Atmosphere Brazing (CAB), helium leak testing, pressure testing, painting, and final assembly, developing broad end-to-end manufacturing exposure.
• Supported manufacturing engineering, tooling and fixture development, process control, production planning, troubleshooting, and continuous improvement, coordinating with Production, Quality, Maintenance, Engineering, and Tool Room teams to strengthen process capability, tooling readiness, product quality, and achievement of OEM manufacturing requirements.

Production Engineer | Precision Automotive Components - Mecas Engineering (Pvt.) Ltd. - Lahore, Pakistan

(1998-01 - 1999-12)

Supported production of precision-machined automotive and tractor components for OEM customers, working across conventional and precision machining, tooling, jigs and fixtures, process control, dimensional inspection, and shop-floor production engineering.

• Coordinated with Production, Tool Room, Quality, and Engineering on process planning, tooling requirements, manufacturing problem solving, and dimensional control, building a strong technical foundation in engineering drawings, tolerances, machining, tooling, inspection, and quality requirements.

Diploma - Mechanical Engineering - GPI Sargodha

MS - Management - Virtual University of Pakistan

MBA - Management - Virtual University of Pakistan