Production Planner

Company Statement

Abbott Label is a family-owned pressure sensitive label manufacturing company with plants in Texas, California, Georgia, Illinois, and Tennessee. We have an immediate opening in our fast-paced Illinois office for a high-energy person that wants to join a winning, financially stable team. We are willing to train the right person! We are a growing company with great benefits, including health, vision and dental insurance, short- and long-term disability insurance, life insurance, a generous vacation package and a 401K plan with a generous employer match. We are a relationship driven culture, most of our customer base has been with us a long time. The workload is challenging, but rewarding, there is a sense of mission, and the need to be creative is satisfied daily. We are artists and engineers and customer advocates, but most of all we are a family.

Position Summary:

The Production Planner/Coordinator is responsible for developing, maintaining, and executing production schedules that align with customer demand, material availability, and equipment capacity. This position serves as the central point of communication between Customer Service, Purchasing, Production, and Shipping, ensuring all departments are coordinated to meet on-time delivery goals. The role requires exceptional organizational skills, strong attention to detail, and the ability to adapt quickly in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

Duties Include:

• Strategic and analytical thinking
• Strong communication and collaboration
• Attention to detail and follow-through
• Problem-solving and adaptability
• Accountability and results orientation

Production Scheduling & Planning

• Develop daily, weekly, and monthly production schedules that balance customer demand, machine availability, and labor capacity.
• Schedule jobs strategically to minimize downtime, setup changes, and production bottlenecks.
• Adjust schedules quickly in response to machine breakdowns, material delays, or urgent customer orders.

Material & Inventory Coordination

• Ensure raw materials, tooling, and supplies are available when needed by working closely with Purchasing and suppliers.
• Track usage and maintain safety stock levels to prevent shortages or production delays.
• Coordinate with the warehouse to ensure smooth material flow to and from production areas.

Cross-Department Communication

• Act as the key link between Sales/CSRs, Purchasing, Production, and Shipping to align daily and long-term priorities.
• Communicate lead times and delivery commitments clearly to Customer Service and Sales teams.
• Proactively update Sales and Operations on schedule changes, potential delays, or capacity constraints.

Monitoring & Reporting

• Track production progress against schedules and flag any risks to on-time delivery.
• Monitor throughput, press speeds, scrap/rework rates, and late orders to identify improvement opportunities.
• Provide regular reports on capacity utilization, bottlenecks, and overall production performance.

Problem Solving & Issue Management

• Identify root causes of missed schedules, such as downtime, labor shortages, or material delays.
• Collaborate with Supervisors, Maintenance, and Operations to adjust plans and keep production flowing efficiently.
• Support root-cause analysis for recurring production or scheduling issues.

Documentation & Systems Management

• Maintain accurate and up-to-date production schedules, order data, and completion statuses.
• Track material usage and ensure production paperwork and quality samples are properly completed and retained.
• Ensure data accuracy to support reliable reporting and analysis.

Coordination of People & Resources

• Balance workloads between shifts, machines, and operators to optimize capacity.
• Coordinate overtime or temporary labor support when production demand requires it.
• Support onboarding and training of new operators by providing clear daily schedules and assignments.

Qualifications:

• Minimum 3–5 years of experience in production planning, scheduling, or coordination (printing or label industry preferred).
• Strong understanding of production processes, materials management, and workflow scheduling.
• Excellent communication and organizational skills with the ability to multitask in a deadline-driven environment.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office (Excel required).
• Detail-oriented, analytical, and able to anticipate and resolve issues before they affect production.

Compensation & Benefits:

• Competitive salary based on experience.
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) with company match
• Paid time off and holidays
• Career growth and development opportunities