Sabaris Chinnar Suresh Kumar

Results-driven Technical Operations Manager with 10 years of expertise in product development, program management, process automation - optimization, and manufacturing scale-up across Medical, Automotive, and Textile industries. Demonstrated success in leading technical teams of 70+, optimizing resource planning, and ensuring on-time product launches. Proficient in hardware asset lifecycle management and deploying robust methodologies, securing ISO 9001 and IATF 16949 certifications. Proven track record in managing Plant P&L accountability, driving budgeting, cost control and profitability while aligning operational strategies with business objectives. Enhanced supply chain efficiency and cost-effectiveness by forging strategic vendor partnerships and balancing onsite and offsite operations, delivering improved operational performance and product integrity.

Natural Fiber Welding, Inc., USA

Manager, Manufacturing Engineering June 2022 – Nov 2024

● Oversaw plant operations, including P&L accountability, manufacturing, hardware asset management, maintenance, logistics, ISO and IATF compliance, and on-site safety, health, and regulatory programs (OSHA) with EH&S leadership.

● Led technical programs deploying DFM strategies and automated production line design for 3+ products, integrating 10+ hardware assets ($100K–$25M) with SMEs across value streams, reducing manual dependency by 70%, boosting product quality to 95%, and scaling throughput to 6M units annually (660% increase).

● Launched 7+ products and 100+ SKUs, transitioning from prototype to full-scale production by applying PEMB practices using MS Project, including WBS for structured execution, RACI for clear role definition, milestone tracking, risk mitigation and optimizing resources and trade-offs between technical and business goals.

● Directed a team of 10 engineers to build a PowerBI driven KPI architecture tracking OEE, FPY , schedule, COPQ, OTD and labor productivity, enabled proactive resource allocation, elevated quality metrics, and reduced order backlogs by 65%.

● Implemented strategic manufacturing budgeting initiatives by integrating ERP-based asset utilization analytics and plant capacity modeling to optimize CAPEX allocation, align with sales forecasts, and reduced overhead by ~25%; achieved ~$350K annual cost savings through waste elimination and improved S&OP accuracy to 93%.

● Deployed PPAP and APQP methodologies to enhance product quality and compliance, while managing Control Plan (CPs) and SPC frameworks that improved cpk from 0.65 to 1.3, ultimately increasing value stream OEE to 75%.

● Implemented operator skillset matrix and structured upskilling programs, mentoring 100+ employees across functional areas; achieved ~33% internal promotion rate, improved engagement scores by 28%, and reduced turnover by 65% through competency mapping, hands-on training, and career progression frameworks.

Senior Process Engineer Feb 2022 – June 2022

● Analyzed key production metrics (OEE, FPY , defect rates) to identify issues and automate inefficient processes, improving product accuracy by 35% and saving $100K in resource usage and material waste.

● Introduced IoT and E2E Traceability technologies to document and monitor every step of the production process, ensuring transparency, compliance, and sustainable practices, which improved Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT) to 8.

● Implemented Lean Six Sigma methodologies including DMAIC, RCA, 5 Whys, Fishbone diagrams, process mapping, and Kaizen events to drive cross-functional continuous improvement initiatives that increased operational efficiency by 18%.

● Collaborated with cross-functional teams (R&D, Operations, Engineering) to align on phase gates, commercialization timelines, and readiness checkpoints; led safety audits, SAT checks (IQ, OQ, PQ), and built robust Verification & Validation programs that proactively identified gaps and enhanced product life expectancy, performance, and reliability.

● Spearheaded process improvements and quality initiatives, including critical control points monitoring, operator training, and process documentation, resulting in a ~20% increase in product accuracy and strengthened client trust and partnerships.

● Established and maintained robust documentation controls, including VSM, SOPs, WIs, FMEA, Control Plans, and Operator Training Matrices, integrating risk management frameworks to ensure ISO 9001:2015 and IATF 16949 compliance, enhance operational consistency, and effectively mitigate process risks.

ConMed Corp, USA

Product Development Engineer Jan 2021 – Aug 2021

● Secured a patent for a medical device (homeostatic clip) design and managed the full product development lifecycle, from prototype to production, reducing time-to-market by 15% and ensuring a successful product launch.

● Partnered with Sales and Marketing teams to develop strategies for product placement using market research data, Voice of Customer (VOC) insights, driving $100M+ in revenue.

● Performed design validation on 8+ endoscopic product lines, ensuring superior performance, compliance with medical device standards ISO 13485:2016, and optimized functionality and user safety, resulting in a 12% increase in product revenue.

● Developed comprehensive testing protocols and conducted statistical analyses (Cpk, Ppk) using Minitab to validate design specifications, ensuring successful regulatory approvals and seamless product launches across global markets.

● Worked with cross-functional teams in the design and development of 6+ advanced endoscopic devices, employing CAD modeling using SOLIDWORKS and Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to optimize performance, resulting in ~20% enhanced device durability and compliance with FDA standards.

● Collaborated with R&D and Quality Assurance teams to execute FMEA and establish robust risk mitigation strategies, resulting in a 35% reduction in product failure rates and improved customer satisfaction scores.

Assai Food Products, India

Associate Plant Manager Apr 2018 – Aug 2019

● Optimized plant fulfillment operations for a 450K sq. ft. facility with 300+ employees, driving a 10%+ increase in productivity, 98%+ on-time order fulfillment, and ₹6M cost reduction through Lean methodologies and process automation.

● Oversaw plant-wide budgeting and cost control for direct & indirect labor, material consumption, rework, and CapEx projects; implemented COPQ reduction initiatives that improved gross margin by 12% and reduced CapEx variance by 18%.

● Developed and implemented hardware asset management strategies leveraging ServiceNow data from service catalogs, incidents, problems, and change applications, improving asset tracking accuracy by 22% and reducing operational costs by ₹85K.

● Published 10+ live KPI dashboards using SQL and Tableau, enabling real-time tracking of OTD, Order Accuracy, Cost per Order, Fulfillment Cycle Time, and Inventory via ERP/WMS; thus improving decision-making, accelerating project completion by 15%, ensuring seamless operations and timely product launches.

● Developed and implemented cold chain logistics strategies, ensuring freshness and reducing spoilage rates by 30%, directly enhancing product shelf life and enhanced B2B customer base by 130% in FY 2019.

● Partnered with R&D to scale 2 new product lines, integrating innovative processes and program management best practices that boosted regional revenue by ₹20M, expanded market share, improved on-time delivery by 12%, and operational efficiency while ensuring FSSAI and ISO compliance.

VRC Industries, India

Product and Process Development Engineer May 2016 – Mar 2018

● Optimized extrusion and weaving processes for HDPE mosquito nets, improving production efficiency by 25% and reducing material waste by ~10%, resulting in annual cost savings of ₹10M.

● Designed and executed testing protocols for product validation, leveraging SPC tools and root cause analysis to achieve a 40% reduction in defect rates, ensuring compliance with international quality standards.

● Directed 2+ large-scale programs for installing and commissioning advanced machinery, overseeing SAT, safety audits, and operator training, reducing downtime by 20% and enabling the production of high-performance mosquito nets.

● Facilitated stakeholder communications with Product and Finance Managers, conducting ad hoc pricing analyses for 10+ new product rollouts, optimizing pricing strategies and increased profitability by 5% and achieved 95% stakeholder satisfaction rate.

PSG Lathe, Pumps and Motors Manufacture, India

Process Engineer July 2013 - Apr 2016

● Drove $1.1M annual savings by redesigning 7+ key tractor components, simplifying manufacturing processes and improving casting/machining efficiency across the foundry line.

● Led cross-functional collaboration with NELCAST and TAFE to validate new component designs and implement fixture solutions, boosting reliability by 27% and operational efficiency by 15%.

● Optimized machining and foundry operations, reducing monthly production costs by $5,000 through process audits, time-motion studies, and data-driven cost-benefit analyses.

● Managed 10+ concurrent engineering projects, aligning with sales, marketing, and manufacturing teams to ensure timely execution, improve customer satisfaction, and support scalable product delivery.

Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA - Dec 2021

Master of Science in Engineering Management 

PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore, TN, India - May 2018

Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering