Plastic Extruder Machine Operator Jobs in Minnesota

3rd Shift – 9:45pm to 5:45am   Su-Th  ($23.57 - $29.33/Hour)   with the 15% shift differential for 3rd shift

Company Overview:  

Experience matters. Since 1948, T.O. Plastics has manufactured quality custom thermoformed parts and packaging and provided exceptional service to horticulture, medical and industrial customers around the world. One of the top one hundred thermoforming companies in North America, T.O. Plastics delivers value by focusing on customer needs and by offering a full range of services from design-to-manufacture. At T.O. Plastics, we are dedicated to excellence, and we leverage our experience and core competency to develop customized, cost-effective solutions for businesses in diverse markets. T.O. Plastics has facilities in both Clearwater and Otsego, Minnesota. It is our Mission to “delight and serve our customers with innovative thermoform solutions”.  

Essential Functions:

This position is responsible for the following tasks, duties, and responsibilities:

• Performs production operations, monitors machine performance, completes minor quality control checks, and identifies all quality issues and quality codes.
• Provides training to new Packers and assists with paperwork as needed.
• Able to operate and keep up with faster lines in speed and complexity, capable of starting up each inline machine, operates lines with minimal assistance or issue, and is well-versed in a minimum of 50% of the production lines.
• Diligently completes and maintains all necessary paperwork without assistance or error for inventory, quality control, record keeping, roll stock and sheet tickets, etc.
• Understands the Bill of Materials (BOM) and verifies the materials at the line against it.
• Ensure that the correct signage is being used to identify all scrap material. Remove, fill out, and attach tag to scrap roll and take rejected rolls to appropriate areas. Also confirms that the correct material is being used on the line and that the scrap material is being sent to the correct grinder.
• Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) authorized and performs lockout/tag out according to safety guidelines and the instructions provided for each individual piece of equipment.
• Performs basic machine set up activities and completes roll changes by placing rolls on machines and starting rolls into formers and other machines.
• Uses basic trouble shooting skills, gained job knowledge, and experience to identity and diagnose basic forming, trimming, and punching problems on the machines. This includes adjusting heats and recognizing different forming conditions such as webbing, cold roll, etc.
• Assists in other mechanical maintenance as needed and makes basic adjustments to temperature and/or speed to correct issues with assistance/support.
• Eliminates downtime and keeps machines running efficiently.
• Promotes good housekeeping practices by ensuring work areas and common areas are clean.
• Identify and report any unsafe work conditions, behaviors, or incidents.
• Follow and adhere to all safety procedures.
• Other duties as assigned by the lead, supervisor, or manager.

Comprehensive benefit package to include the following options:

• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• Life Insurance
• STD and LTD Insurance
• 401K with a generous company match
• 3 weeks of PTO earned as a weekly accrual
• Critical Illness Coverage
• Accident Insurance
• FSA or HSA Contribution Plans
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Education, Experience, & Skills:

The qualifications listed here are guidelines. Other combinations of education and experience could provide the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform this job.

• High School diploma or general education degree (GED; or one to three months related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience).
• Previous manufacturing experience or familiarity with manufacturing equipment required.
• Preferred qualifications include trade school for plastics fabrication, light set up or maintenance experience, and basic knowledge of production scheduling and inventory control.
• In depth knowledge and understanding of current Good Manufacturing Practices, standard operating procedures, and product specifications.
• Ability to read, write, and speak basic English. This is essential for understanding work instructions, labels, quality sheets, other printed job materials, and communicating effectively with fellow workers to fully understand job information.
• Basic computer skills required, including the use of Microsoft Office Applications (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.) and the ability to work with different applications on different formats.
• Must possess basic mathematic skills including counting, addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Job efficiencies and TMM utilization requires offline calculations for work center operation and communication to estimation and scheduling. Set up and control of jobs also requires mathematical calculations and the ability to read prints to produce to specifications.
• Able to use measuring tools (such as tape measures, calipers, micrometers, indicators, scales, etc.) to read and interpret a variety of measurements using fractions, decimals, or metric increments.
• This position requires the skill to effectively communicate, both verbally and written, in a professional, positive, and constructive manner.
• Must be detail oriented, demonstrate both team-based and independent work skills, and successfully navigate training to be effective in this role.
• Good common sense and critical thinking ability is necessary. To succeed in this position the reasoning skills of the individual must be particularly good to enable the balance of all jobs and to solve the issues that present themselves in production.
• Ability to adjust to unpredictable situations that requires immediate time and attention.
• Strong organization, time management, multitasking, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions.

Working Environment and Physical Demands:

The characteristics described here are representative of those an employee may encounter while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Work will be performed in a well-lit manufacturing environment which may include regular exposure to flying dust and debris; the smell of burnt plastic; high decibel equipment and loud noises; and extreme temperatures ranging from subzero up to 110 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Must be able to wear all required personal protective equipment consistently and correctly. This may include wearing safety glasses, ear plugs, gloves, respiratory masks, other safety equipment as designated, and adhering to the safety dress code.
• The manufacturing environment is fast-moving and may require the mobility to bend, stoop, lift, carry, lift above shoulders, push, pull, walk, and stand throughout the duration of the shift.
• Visual acuity, manual dexterity, and hand function are required to inspect and handle product.

Must be able to lift forty-three pounds sixty times per 8 hours shift and must be able to lift as much as fifty pounds on an occasional basis. Must be able to safely climb short ladders while carrying these weights