Business Development Associate

Company Description: Advanced Plastic Corp. is a custom plastic extrusion manufacturer based in Lincolnwood, Illinois, serving clients across the Greater Chicago Area and beyond. For over three decades, the company has produced high-quality custom plastic extrusions that meet demanding industry specifications. Advanced Plastic Corp focuses on close collaboration with customers, turning their concepts into finished products while delivering technical expertise and consistent value. Its products are recognized as setting benchmarks that many competing solutions are measured against, offering applicants the opportunity to contribute to a respected, standards-driven manufacturing environment.

ABOUT THE ROLE

We are seeking a driven and entrepreneurial Sales Associate to help expand our custom plastic extrusion business. This role focuses on identifying new opportunities, developing customer relationships, and driving new program development with customers. This role will entail working directly with engineers, purchasing teams, and product development groups at multi-billion-dollar OEMs to bring new extrusion solutions from concept through production. This is an excellent opportunity for someone early in their journey who wants to build a long-term career in technical sales within the manufacturing industry. Key Responsibilities: Business Development Identify and pursue new business opportunities within markets such as construction, transportation, recreational, industrial, and consumer products. Conduct prospecting activities including cold calls, email outreach, LinkedIn engagement, and industry networking. Develop and maintain a pipeline of new extrusion programs. Customer Relationship Management Build strong relationships with OEMs, purchasing teams, engineers, and product development teams. Support customers through early-stage product development and extrusion design discussions. Serve as a primary point of contact for assigned house accounts. Work closely with engineering, tooling, and production team to develop solutions for customer applications. Assist in preparing quotes, evaluating different costing models, and proposals. Track opportunities and maintain accurate records in CRM systems. Market Development Research market trends and identify new extrusion opportunities. Attend trade shows, industry events, and customer visits. Support strategic initiatives to expand into new markets. Project Coordination Assist in managing new program launches from quote through production. Coordinate internally with engineering, quality, purchasing, and manufacturing teams. Ensure customer expectations are met throughout the development process. Required Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in marketing, business, engineering, or related field Strong communication and relationship-building skills Highly organized with strong follow-through Ability and hunger to learn technical products and manufacturing processes Willingness to travel up to 30% Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a team environment while effectively managing multiple priorities. Highly motivated and adaptable, with the ability to perform in fast-paced environments. Strong verbal and written communication skills Excellent interpersonal skills with a proven ability to build and maintain relationships with internal teams and external customers. Effective time management, organizational skills, and attention to detail. Demonstrates initiative in identifying problems and implementing practical solutions. Strong decision-making abilities, delivering well-informed and timely outcomes. Ability to analyze and interpret technical information related to job responsibilities. Skilled in conflict resolution, consistently demonstrating professionalism, courtesy, and tact when interacting with customers and colleagues. Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint). #J-18808-Ljbffr Advanced Plastic Corp