Plant Director

SORTH & CO is searching on behalf of Elopak Denmark A/S

PLANT DIRECTOR

Full responsibility for the performance of Elopak's production site in Lystrup, including safety, quality, delivery and cost. Succeeding a long-serving predecessor, you will have the mandate to shape culture, ways of working and leadership focus.

You will drive operational excellence based on TPM and serve as Managing Director of Elopak Denmark A/S, while leading major new projects launching in 2027.

Elopak is one of the world’s leading suppliers of carton packaging for liquid food products. Headquartered in Oslo and employing more than 2,850 people across 40 countries, Elopak is driven by a shared vision: creating sustainable packaging solutions that leave an undamaged world for future generations.

Elopak Denmark A/S is part of the global Elopak Group. It has a large production site in Lystrup near Aarhus with approximately 310 employees, and it works closely within a Nordic matrix structure across Technical Service, Aftermarket and Sales.

Read more about Elopak: https://www.elopak.com/

As Plant Director, you will lead the Danish production site with P&L responsibility. You will head a stable and well-functioning management team and focus on developing the culture, strengthening capabilities and shaping future leadership, while keeping operations stable and OEE high.

The Elopak Group has invested significantly in the Danish site, and new key projects will launch in Q1 2027. You will be responsible for ensuring smooth start-ups and efficient operations going forward. You will work closely with central functions as well as Sales and R&D in an international matrix organisation.

The Plant Director reports to the Global EVP Packaging and Procurement. The position is based full-time at the production site in Lystrup, Aarhus, Denmark.

Your responsibilities will include :

Site leadership

• Overall responsibility for site performance across safety, quality, delivery and cost
• Lead and develop the management team and serve as formal Managing Director of Elopak Denmark A/S

Strategic projects

• Oversee major projects and ensure smooth start-up and implementation
• Lead the introduction of new products and formats

Operational excellence

• Drive continuous improvement based on TPM, improving OEE and reducing downtime and waste
• Engage leaders at all levels as ambassadors for operational excellence

Safety and culture

• Lead the safety agenda and build a strong, proactive safety culture
• Act as a visible HSE role model on the shop floor

The suitable candidate

To succeed in this role, you know what it takes to run an efficient high-volume production on commercial terms, you lead in a way that engages an experienced team, and you excel across the full spectrum from strategy to daily operations.

We expect the successful candidate to bring:

• Several years of senior leadership experience in manufacturing, ideally as Plant Manager, Plant Director or Operations Director, from industries such as FMCG, food and beverage, packaging or paper – or from other comparable high-volume areas
• A proven track record of working with TPM standards and driving operational excellence, as well as leading new and complex projects
• Solid HSE experience, ideally from an organisation with a strong safety culture
• A visible, engaging leader who spends time on the shop floor, turns strategy into clear priorities and develops people and teams
• Combines high standards and accountability with a supportive, collaborative style, and works well across functions in an international matrix organisation
• Hands-on, solution-oriented and fact-based, with strong ownership and the ability to build trust at all levels
• Fluent in Danish and English, written and spoken

Elopak offers a central leadership position in an international organisation with strong values, high ambitions and a clear sustainability agenda. You will have significant influence on the future of the Danish site, and you will get the chance to shape both operational results and organisational capabilities.

The recruitment process is handled by SORTH & CO. If you have any questions, please contact Head of Search Sofie Kruse Møller, [email protected] or Partner Thomas Hansen, [email protected] .