Intern - Manufacturing Leadership

Sauder Manufacturing was founded in 1945 as a Church furniture Company and is a wholly owned by the parent Sauder Woodworking Co.  We have a rich history in crafting solid wood into beautiful, enduring, quality furniture and today that is blended with modern technology and a strong customer focus.

Sauder Manufacturing Co. sells in four strategic markets: Healthcare Furniture for Acute Care Hospitals, Education Furniture for colleges and universities, Worship furniture for churches, synagogues, courthouses  and furniture for human services markets which is a diverse network of agencies providing residential housing to many individuals. At Sauder Manufacturing, how do we do our work----new technology, new products and new ideas----changes constantly---but our values----how we treat our customers, suppliers and each other----never change.

SCHEDULE:  Monday thru Thursday 5:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Sauder internship programs are designed to run 10-12 weeks from May to August. We aim to provide valuable experiences for all interns and the departments they are assigned to. Each intern will take the lead on a project (or projects) for the summer and present to other interns, internship supervisors, and executives at the end of the summer.

Manufacturing Leadership Line Lead Purpose:

Keep each assembly line running smoothly with little to no disruptions. Prepare and stage all items needed by quantity per BOM BEFORE work order is started to ensure no excess is at the station. This will help keep things better organized, keep inventory on track, and identify any inventory discrepancies sooner. Help assist with any needs or confusion that new people might have or when switching to new products or switching from Merit to Endure. If a person needs to leave the line for any reason, they need to be covered by the line lead or someone else to ensure the line does not stop.

Responsibilities & Duties:

• Help train new preppers and assemblers
• Help manage and fix any assembly issues that arise throughout the day. Check with other leaders as necessary for guidance.  
• Make sure their assigned line has work ready and staged for the next order
  • Stage all needed parts according to the quantities called for on the Bill of Materials: drawer side rails, clothes rods, corner brackets with glides inserted, corner blocks with castors inserted, cardboard caps, bring endure leg carts to preppers before they need them, castor wheels taken to end of line prep when needed for a unit
  • Gather and box any hardware kits that are needed
• Ensure labels are being put on each unit and cardboard caps correctly
• Regular quality check throughout line
  • Check for dust and excess glue left from preppers and communicate any issues with them and the leaders.
  • Check for any defects (dents, scratches, laminate discoloration)
• Identify and verify when repairs are needed and fill out tags. Repairs need to come through this person to the department leaders.
• Fill glue bottles and all hardware bins throughout the day
• Cover a person when they need to step away from the line.
• Identify when/where there is a hold up in the line and make any needed adjustments (step in and help get caught up, move people around for a better fit on the line, have a person who is waiting help the one who is behind)
  • Verify efficiency on your assigned line by watching the efficiency board (TV)
• Make sure everyone is 5Sing at end of day and there are no unnecessary items at any station
• Ensure each line is staged properly at the end of the day for a smooth start up the next day
  • Typically, 2 ½*-3 ½* units prepped is what we want to see on the line. We need 1 unit from each line staged and ready for quality check, cardboard angle pad attachment and drawer insertion. We need 2 units ready to package. (*Explanation of 1/2: Prep 1 needs to have their parts finished on the last stack so prep 2 doesn’t have to wait for them to finish the next morning.)
  • Number of units to stage on prep line will vary with each product. The goal is to never allow assemblers to be waiting on preppers to get a unit ready. But not have the entire prep line full so that preppers are waiting on assemblers to finish a unit before they can continue. We don’t want anybody waiting around for work first thing in the morning.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Previous manufacturing experience preferred
• College Sophomore, Junior or Senior in Fall
• Well versed in analytical problem solving
• Organized, focused and logical
• Learns quickly and works well in a team
• Flexible and able to adapt to changing needs and assignments
• Come with self-motivation and a desire to get things done
• Have a desire to learn
• Positive attitude and a healthy sense of humility