Job Title: Planned Maintenance Shift Engineer
Company: Ulster Yarns
Ulster Yarns is a subsidiary company of Ulster Carpet Group. We source the highest quality wool from across the world and then transform it into premium yarn at our specialist wool processing and dyeing mills in Dewsbury and Wakefield. This yarn is then used to manufacture luxurious wool-rich Ulster carpets at the manufacturing site in Portadown, Northern Ireland that can not only be found in homes but in some of the world’s leading hotels, cruise liners and casinos.
Overview of role:
This role is engineering based and will involve a planned maintenance program along with the set-up, maintenance and repair of a range of textile machinery to ensure maximum production efficiency.
- Maintenance Operations:
- Contribute to and implement PPM programmes to minimise reactive downtime.
- Maintain and repair machines in line with the planned and preventative maintenance schedule.
- Ensure that all maintenance tasks are performed safely, efficiently, and in compliance with company policies, safety standards, and industry regulations.
- Ensure machine downtime is carefully monitored, managed and reduced as necessary as well as being proactive and responsive to machine breakdowns to minimise impact on production
- Assist with the maintenance and repair of manufacturing equipment, building systems (e.g., HVAC, plumbing, electrical), and facilities infrastructure.
- Diagnose and resolve faults, machine emergencies or unplanned problems in a systematic and logical manner
- Completion of work records for all maintenance activities
- Asset Management:
- Assist with maintaining an accurate and up to date inventory of all equipment and assets, ensuring spare parts are readily available.
- Conduct regular audits of assets to ensure they are properly maintained and in good working condition.
- Consider a systems approach to manage the day-to-day maintenance activities.
- Team Support:
- Supervise, train and develop apprentice technicians and other colleagues
- Adopt a culture of continuous improvement, safety, and teamwork within the maintenance department.
- Safety and Compliance:
- Ensure all maintenance activities comply with Ulster H&S policies, HSENI guidelines and environmental regulations.
- Work in conjunction with the H&S manager to conduct routine safety audits, risk assessments, and training to minimise workplace hazards.
- Assist with the development and enforcement of standard operating procedures (SOPs) for equipment usage and maintenance.
- Organise external statutory inspections.
- Report all safety and maintenance issues to the Manager
- Continuous Improvement:
- Identify opportunities for improvement in maintenance processes and equipment performance.
- Collaborate with production teams to implement process improvements that enhance operational efficiency.
- Improve maintenance response times, reduce downtime, and improve equipment reliability.
- Problem solve one off and recurring issues to implement effective corrective actions
- Budgets:
Work within the constraints of budgets to ensure cost-effective procurement of maintenance supplies, parts, and services
Desired Skills:
-
- 3 plus years of experience in maintenance planning or engineering, preference give to candidates with experience in a mill environment/textile industry particularly with woollen carding, spinning and finishing processes
- Ability to recognise, diagnose and correct faults on a range of machinery & equipment
- Communication skills to convey SOPs, fault diagnoses and corrective actions to management, apprentices and colleagues
Desired qualifications:
An engineering related qualification or industry gained experience
Personal qualities:
- Technical Skills: Proficiency in planning software, maintenance planning tools, and relevant industry standards.
- Leadership and Communication: Strong leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills.
- Problem-Solving: Ability to analyse complex problems and develop effective solutions.
- Analytical Skills: Ability to analyse data, identify trends, and make data-driven decisions.
Salary:
Hourly Rate: £18.54
Hours:
Hours of work after initial training may be: 10-hour shifts, possibly including one weekend day with a 30 minute unpaid break. Overtime available on hours worked beyond 38 hours per week.
To apply:
Email your CV and covering letter to Sandra.lamour@ulstercarpets.com
