Capital Projects Manager-Thermoformed

Amhil North Americais a privately held Thermoforming Plastics Packaging company focused on delivering Best Value to our customers and partners. We provide smart, safe and sustainable packaging solutions for the consumer, industrial and foodservice industries in North America and Europe.

Over the past twenty years, Amhil has expanded its product offering to include drinking cups, portion cups and food packaging and now includes products that are 100% recyclable, produced with recycled content and available as carbon neutral.

Amhil North America is part of the Wentworth Technologies group of companies.

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Position Summary

We are seeking an experienced Capital Projects Manager (12-Month Contract) to lead and deliver multiple concurrent capital projects in a high-volume thermoformed food packaging operation producing cups, lids, and food containers. This role owns end-to-end execution—from scope development and contract writing through Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT), site layout/design, installation, commissioning/SAT, and operational handover. A core part of the role is plant and line layout ownership, including producing and updating layouts in AutoCAD, validating flows (sheet feed forming trim/stack pack-out), and ensuring utilities, ergonomics, safety, and future expandability are built into designs.

Key Responsibilities
Capital Project Delivery

• Manage several capital projects simultaneously, including:
• New/upgraded thermoformers, trim presses, stackers, robotics, downstream automation, and pack-out.
• Extrusion / sheet handling equipment and supporting systems.
• Tooling / mold systems (molds, plug assists, trim dies), and changeover improvements.
• Material handling, warehousing, end-of-line automation, and facility upgrades.
• Thermoforming utilities/infrastructure (compressed air, vacuum, chillers, HVAC, electrical).
• Define scope, deliverables, budgets, timelines, and KPIs in partnership with Operations, Maintenance, Quality, and EHS.
• Build and maintain project plans, milestone tracking, risk registers, and change control.
• Drive stage-gate approvals and leadership reviews.

Plant / Line Layout & AutoCAD Ownership

• Own equipment and line layout design for capital projects, including:
• Space planning and line balance.
• Aisle clearances, ergonomic access, and safe material/people flow.
• Sheet and parts conveyance routing, WIP control, and pack-out integration.
• Tooling changeover access and maintenance service zones.
• Create and maintain layouts and technical drawings in AutoCAD:
• Equipment footprints and anchoring plans.
• Utility drops, routing, and tie-ins (vacuum, air, chilled water, electrical).
• Safety zoning, guarding boundaries, and emergency access.
• Validate proposed layouts with stakeholders and ensure future expansion flexibility.
• Ensure layouts comply with internal standards and applicable safety/food-contact requirements.

Contracting & Supplier Management

• Lead RFQ/RFP preparation, evaluation, and vendor selection with Procurement.
• Write and negotiate contracts covering:
• Detailed equipment scope and performance guarantees (cycle rate, OEE, scrap limits).
• Tooling deliverables (cavity count, tolerances, material/gauge compatibility).
• Installation responsibilities, site readiness items, and safety/permit requirements.
• FAT/SAT acceptance criteria and objective test thresholds.
• Warranty, spares, training, service response times.
• Payment milestones tied to measurable acceptance results.
• Manage vendor performance against commercial and technical obligations.

Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT)

• Develop FAT plans aligned to thermoforming performance needs:
• Dimensional/weight tolerances and repeatability.
• Lid fit/seal performance and trim quality.
• Cycle speed capability under designed resin and gauge.
• Part handling/stacking reliability at target rate.
• Safety interlocks and guarding compliance.
• Lead FAT at OEM sites with cross-functional plant participation.
• Track deficiencies, drive corrective actions, and approve readiness to ship.

Installations, Commissioning & SAT

• Plan installations including shutdown windows and production risk mitigation.
• Lead site readiness activities:
• Utility capacity validation and tie-in planning.
• Floor layout and material flow checks vs. AutoCAD designs.
• Contractor onboarding, permits, and LOTO compliance.
• Oversee installation, commissioning, and Site Acceptance Testing (SAT).
• Validate sustained performance at production scale (rate, scrap, uptime).
• Deliver complete handover documentation: as-builts, manuals, SOP updates, PM plans, spares, training.

Weekly Project Management & Communication

• Run weekly project meetings with internal teams and vendors: agenda, facilitation, minutes, action tracking, escalation.
• Provide weekly status dashboards to leadership: schedule, cost, risks, issues, change orders, next milestones.
• Maintain rigorous project documentation and audit readiness.

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years capital project leadership in thermoforming, plastics packaging, or high-speed food-contact manufacturing.
• Proven success delivering multiple concurrent projects.
• Hands-on experience with thermoformers, trim/press systems, stackers, automation, and tooling.
• FAT/SAT planning and execution.
• Installation/commissioning in a high-volume converting environment.
• Contract writing/negotiation and supplier management.
• AutoCAD proficiency with demonstrated ability to design/update plant and line layouts.
• Strong PM tool proficiency (MS Project, Smartsheet, Primavera, etc.).
• Solid understanding of EHS/contractor safety and LOTO.
• Post-secondary education in Engineering, Engineering Technology, Industrial Design, or equivalent experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• PMP or equivalent certification.
• Experience with resin/gauge impacts in forming (PP, PET, PS, rPET, multilayer).
• Familiarity with food-contact packaging compliance and GMP environments.
• Lean/CI experience with OEE, scrap, and changeover reduction.
• Experience commissioning high-speed lines and automation.

Core Competencies

• Layout & systems thinking: designs flows that work in reality, not just on paper.
• Technical rigor: turns forming/tooling needs into clear specs and acceptance tests.
• Commercial acumen: creates watertight scopes and performance guarantees.
• Execution & facilitation: runs sharp meetings, drives accountability, removes blockers.
• Operational empathy: balances uptime, changeovers, and safety during installs.

Work Environment

• Travel to suppliers/OEMs for FAT and technical alignment.

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