Foundry Manager

Job Title: Foundry Manager
Reports To: Plant Head / Director Operations
Department: Foundry Operations
Location: Sriperumbudur (Close to Chennai), Tamil Nadu

Job Purpose

The Foundry Manager will lead and optimize all foundry operations, with a core focus on melting, casting, and safety. This role requires extensive hands-on expertise in Induction Furnace operations and Centrifugal Casting methodologies. The ideal candidate will drive production efficiency, maintain strict metallurgical quality control, and oversee the melting and casting of non-ferrous metals, with a strong preference for copper and copper-based alloys.

Key Responsibilities

Production & Process Management

Casting Operations: Direct and monitor the daily production of Centrifugal Casting lines, ensuring dimensional accuracy, optimal rotational speeds, and defect-free outputs.

Furnace Operations: Oversee the scheduling, charging, and efficient operation of Induction Furnaces to optimize melting cycles and minimize energy consumption.

Material Selection: Supervise the melting process of non-ferrous metals, specifically focusing on copper melting, alloy preparation, and scrap management.

Resource Optimization: Plan and allocate manpower, raw materials, and machinery to meet weekly and monthly production targets seamlessly.

Quality Control & Metallurgy

Metallurgical Accuracy: Ensure precise chemical composition and temperature control of the copper melt using spectrometers and thermal analysis tools.

Defect Minimization: Identify, analyze, and eliminate common casting defects (e.g., porosity, shrinkage, inclusions) to improve first-time-through (FTT) yield.

Standard Operating Procedures: Establish and enforce strict SOPs for melt treatment, degassing, fluxing, and pouring practices.

Maintenance & Safety

Equipment Upkeep: Partner with the maintenance team to schedule preventive maintenance for induction coils, lining refractories, centrifugal dies, and cooling systems.

Refractory Management: Oversee furnace patching, relining cycles, and sintering processes to maximize crucible/furnace life.

EHS Compliance: Enforce rigorous Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) standards, ensuring 100% compliance with personal protective equipment (PPE) and hazardous molten metal handling protocols.

Team Leadership & Continuous Improvement

Team Development: Lead, train, and mentor a team of supervisors, furnace operators, technicians, and contract laborers.

Lean Manufacturing: Drive continuous improvement initiatives (5S, Kaizen, Root Cause Analysis) to reduce cycle times and material wastage.

Required Qualifications & Experience

Education

B.E. / B.Tech / Diploma in Metallurgical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or Foundry Technology.

Experience

8 to 15 years of core experience in foundry operations.

At least 3–5 years in a leadership role managing an active foundry shop floor.

Proven track record of handling Induction Furnaces and Centrifugal Casting equipment is mandatory.

Significant experience in Copper, Bronze, or Brass melting and casting is highly preferred.

Technical Skills

Deep understanding of non-ferrous metallurgy, charge calculation, and melt purification techniques.

Proficiency in handling centrifugal casting dies, mold coatings, and extraction mechanisms.

Familiarity with foundry ERP modules for production logging and inventory tracking.

Soft Skills

Strong leadership and floor-management skills capable of handling a diverse workforce.

Analytical mindset with excellent troubleshooting and problem-solving abilities.

High resilience and capability to work effectively in a high-temperature industrial environment.