Plant Manager - Digital Printing

Company Description Springs Creative Products Group is an independently owned textile and creative services company with nearly 40 years of industry history. The organization is a leading supplier of retail fabrics, finished products, packaged crafts, and specialty fabrics to major retailers and manufacturers. Springs Creative serves markets across North America, Canada, Asia, Australia, and the Middle East, offering a diverse product portfolio and creative solutions. The company emphasizes innovation, quality, and long-term partnerships, providing team members opportunities to work on products with global reach. For more information, please visit

Plant Manager – Digital Printing

Position Summary

The Plant Manager is responsible for overseeing all daily manufacturing operations at a digital fabric printing facility, ensuring efficient production, consistent print quality, on-time order fulfillment, cost control, and workplace safety. This role manages production personnel, digital printing equipment, fabric handling, finishing processes, inventory, and shipping operations to meet customer requirements and business objectives.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Production Management

• Oversee daily production schedules
• Ensure production targets, customer deadlines, and delivery commitments are met.
• Monitor workflow from fabric preparation and printing through finishing, inspection, and packaging.
• Allocate labor, equipment, and materials to maximize productivity and minimize downtime.
• Identify bottlenecks and implement process improvements.

2. Quality Control

• Maintain consistent color accuracy, print registration, image clarity, and fabric quality.
• Establish and enforce quality standards throughout the production process.
• Monitor defects, reprints, waste, and customer complaints.
• Coordinate corrective actions and root-cause analysis to prevent recurring quality issues.
• Ensure finished products meet customer specifications.

3. Equipment and Maintenance

• Oversee the operation and maintenance of digital textile printers, heat presses, wallpaper printers and finishing equipment, as applicable.
• Coordinate preventive maintenance and equipment repairs.
• Minimize unplanned downtime and ensure proper machine operation.
• Work with vendors and technicians on troubleshooting, repairs, and equipment upgrades.

4. Team Leadership

• Supervise production supervisors, machine operators, quality inspectors, and other plant personnel.
• Establish staffing plans, work assignments, and production priorities.
• Train employees on operating procedures, quality standards, safety requirements, and equipment use.
• Monitor employee performance, attendance, productivity, and compliance with company policies.
• Promote accountability, teamwork, and continuous improvement.

5. Inventory and Materials Management

• Monitor inventory levels of fabrics, inks, transfer paper, chemicals, packaging materials, and other production supplies.
• Coordinate with purchasing and warehouse team to prevent material shortages.
• Ensure proper handling, storage, and tracking of raw materials and finished goods.
• Reduce material waste and improve inventory accuracy.

6. Cost Control and Productivity

• Monitor production costs, labor efficiency, material consumption, and machine utilization.
• Track key performance indicators (KPIs), including production output, on-time delivery, defect rates, and waste.
• Identify opportunities to reduce operating expenses and improve profitability.
• Prepare production reports and communicate operational results to management.

7. Safety and Compliance

• Maintain a safe, organized, and clean manufacturing environment.
• Enforce equipment safety procedures, proper chemical handling, and the use of personal protective equipment.
• Ensure compliance with applicable OSHA requirements, environmental regulations, and company policies.
• Maintain appropriate training, maintenance, and safety documentation.

8. Order Fulfillment and Coordination

• Coordinate with customer service, sales, purchasing, design/color, and shipping departments.
• Communicate production status, capacity constraints, and potential delays.
• Ensure orders are completed according to specifications and delivery schedules.
• Support customer satisfaction through reliable production and consistent product quality.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in manufacturing, Industrial Engineering, Operations Management, or a related field preferred; equivalent experience may be considered.
• Five or more years of manufacturing or production management experience, preferably in digital textile printing, textile manufacturing, apparel, or a related printing environment.
• Demonstrated experience leading production teams and managing manufacturing workflows.
• Knowledge of digital printing processes, color management, fabric handling, and finishing operations.
• Experience with production planning, inventory control, preventive maintenance, and quality assurance.
• Strong leadership, problem-solving, communication, and organizational skills.
• Proficiency in production management systems, ERP software, and Microsoft Office. Familiarity with RIP software.
• Attention to detail & ability to work in a fast-paced environment.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• On-time production and shipment rates.
• Production output and machine utilization.
• First-pass quality rate and defect percentage.
• Reprint rates and material waste.
• Labor productivity and overtime costs.
• Equipment downtime and maintenance costs.
• Customer complaints and quality-related returns.
• Safety performance and compliance.

Success Expectations

The successful Plant Manager will build a safe, efficient, quality-driven production operation that consistently delivers high-quality digitally printed fabrics on time, controls manufacturing costs, develops employees, and supports the company’s growth.