Founded in 1848, The Knapheide Manufacturing Company is a privately held, rapidly growing manufacturer and supplier of truck equipment and van interiors. Company-branded products are primarily manufactured in a state-of-the-art plant facility located at the headquarters in Illinois and distributed nationwide through a network of dealers and distributors, in addition to company-owned installation centers. Operations include final assembly/up-fitting or integration, and distribution of truck equipment and van interiors. The organization is a recognized leader in the industry and is well-known for its commitment to quality and customer service.
Knapheide’s businesses are aligned through two primary business channels:
- Truck Body Manufacturing and Distribution – Located at the Quincy, IL Headquarters, an approximately 800,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art manufacturing campus produces a full line of vocational truck bodies that are distributed through 240 distribution partners (including 24 company owned locations) across the United States and Canada. Fully integrated engineering, sales, marketing, customer support, and functional teams are also co-located in Quincy, IL.
- Truck Equipment Sales and Installation Services – 24 company-owned equipment sales and installation locations known as Knapheide Truck Equipment Centers (or KTEC) support local, regional, and national customer demand. Customers include fleet and leasing management companies, OEM truck dealerships, regional and national fleets, and individual vocational business owners. KTEC locations install and service Knapheide bodies and equipment on vehicles, along with a full portfolio of products from other manufacturers to meet any customer’s vocational needs.
The entire team at Knapheide is results driven and prides itself on its “Never Settle” values grounded in always placing the Customer First, working through Collaboration, and focusing on Continuous Improvement. Knapheide currently employs over 2,400 people and has annual sales exceeding $500M. Additional information about the company is available here.
Position Overview
Reporting directly to the Vice President of Operations (who reports to the CEO) and managing a team of automation engineering technicians and specialists, the Manager of Automation Engineering will work closely with cross-functional leadership teams to set strategic direction for manufacturing automation solutions and develop tactical plans for implementation. This Manager will have multi-operational responsibilities and will be instrumental in installing and implementing current automation projects underway as well as spearheading the planning and execution of future automation projects to drive improvements in the overall safety, quality and efficiency of manufacturing operations.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in engineering strongly preferred or will consider equivalent work experience.
- Minimum of five (5) years of progressive experience integrating large scale robotics systems into an industrial manufacturing environment; ability to see beyond current manufacturing system and methods to advance automation capabilities.
- History of working effectively with high performing teams on a cross-functional basis with Operations, Manufacturing Engineering, and Engineering teams.
- Strong computer skills are required to include experience with Solidworks & ACAD. Experience with Roboguide, as well as processing and spreadsheet programs is preferred/expected.
Compensation commensurate with experience. Expected salary to be in the approximate range of $125-135K plus bonus plus a generous benefits package.
Please direct resumes, inquiries, and referrals in confidence to:
Betsy Mullenix
Senior Consultant
Grant Cooper | Diversified Search Group
mullenix@grantcooper.com | t. 314-449-1584
