William H. V. Larner III

135 Memorial Lane

Mount Laurel, N. J.

(856) 780-5335

Introduction

                I am a seasoned production planning and process management professional with successes in the corrugated container industry that include but are not limited to, production planning, paper purchasing, incoming traffic management of both trucking and rail, inventory supply/demand control, and raw material forecasting.  I am seeking a position with your company doing any or all of these things with an eye to reducing costs through reduced inventory and SKU’s, improved throughput, and application of the “just in time” philosophy.  I have developed effective working relationships with both the NS and CSX rail companies, and have numerous good contacts with a number of over the road carriers.  I easily and thoroughly learn business operating software applications and in fact have been a trainer/traveling both across the USA and overseas. Following is a description of my industry related experiences starting with my most recent, which is most likely to be of the most interest to you,  and then skipping back to the beginning of my job history in chronologic order up to that most recent; thus giving you an overview of my character and learning abilities.  I have no problem with relocating or traveling.  An on the road job is something I am accustomed to and in fact enjoy.

SSCC Aston, Pa. / Philadelphia, Pa.  Sept. 2002 - June 2010

                I was originally called in to the Aston facility as a consultant to provide roll stock SKU reduction and combined board grade consolidation assistance.  After successfully accomplishing these tasks I was offered a full time position as planning mgr. three months later.  My original responsibilities included scheduling their double knife corrugator, maintaining and further reducing roll stock inventories, purchasing roll paper, managing the incoming delivery traffic, and overseeing the downstream scheduling process.  Here I had to learn the KIWI CSC scheduling system.  I was able to learn enough about this system in several days to effectively use it and went on to master it in under a month.

                The Aston facility is a high volume producer of corrugated containers that historically produces in excess of 115 million square feet of combined board per month and in so doing consuming approximately 7,500 tons of roll stock.  Inventory levels were reduced from over 8,500 tons to under 6,500 tons.  SKU’s reduced from over 110 to under 80 where it fluctuated slightly with the gain and loss of ’specials’ corresponding to a gain or loss of business.  Obsolete items were quickly dealt with keeping the inventory active and useful.  Rail demurrage charges were eliminated while at the same time rail deliveries increased over 30% 

                Corrugator efficiencies also improved significantly moving from an historic level of 2.5%+ trim loss to an average of 1.8%.  Average width utilization of this 98” corrugator went from an historic 85” to an average of 91”.         

                In 2007 the company rolled out the KIWI full plant scheduling system.  I was not given the opportunity to participate in this roll out, rather my duties shifted from scheduling to roll stock management, purchasing and traffic management and expanded to include these responsibilities for both the Aston, Pa. and the N. Philadelphia facilities.  Combined monthly consumed tons were in the neighborhood of 14,000 to 15,000.  I achieved successes in this new roll that were consistent with those mentioned above.  Unfortunately, when Smurfit-Stone emerged from bankruptcy this passed June I became the victim of headcount reduction and was laid off.

St. Laurent/SSCC - Adams, Wis.; Jan. 2000 - Jan. 2002

                This 3 shift display manufacturing facility required the scheduling of over 21 converting machine centers.  Orders of matched sets consisting of as many as 10 different parts, some of which required as many as 6 different converting operations on work shifts not staffed with crews on many of the machines, created planning challenges I had not before encountered.  On time delivery and accuracy of produced pieces were critical and in spite of the challenges our on time delivery percentage was consistently above 97%.  We measured on time delivery based on originally booked delivery date.  My corrugator scheduling and roll stock management results were consistent with previous efforts. This was by far the most challenging position I ever held.

Planning and Process Management Consultant; July 1996 - Jan. 2000

                Using the skills and methods learned in my time at Gaylord Container I went into business for myself, providing services as noted above.  I was called upon to provide Corr-Trim software training, vacation and emergency planning relief, process management studies and roll stock analysis services in S. E. Asia, S. America, the U. S., Canada and England. .  I assisted in the start up of the sheet feeder IPC in Wis., training the planner there, recommending staffing levels and hours, and providing planning services between Mar. 1997 and Aug. 1998.  I was employed by St. Laurent in Adams, Wis. (Castle Rock) to assist in the transition from the ’home grown’ business mgt. computer system to the Brad system in Sept. 1999 and worked there in that roll until Jan. 2000 at which time I accepted full time employment as planning manager there.

Gaylord Container Corp.  - Corporate staff; July 1994 - Apr. 1996

                I took the position of planning specialist, working with the staff team made up of experts in the fields of corrugating, converting, maintenance, and cost control.  Our team was charged with the responsibilities of reducing costs, increasing throughput and improving on time delivery.  We were initially called in to plants that were struggling and later visited all of the 14 manufacturing facilities to improve profitability.  My own responsibilities included but were not limited to training planners on Corr-Trim planning software, roll stock management, vacation and emergency production planning fill in, training new planners, teaching the Corr-Trim windows upgrade, roll stock grade/width analysis with the object of reducing SKU’s, and combined board grade consolidations.  Our objectives were to be met with minimal disruption of business.  We intended to develop existing talent and provide skills, being supportive and facilitative, the last resort being elimination of any on site personnel.  We were very successful with this and our team was largely seen as a positive and desired group to have in the field locations.  In short we were both popular and effective.

Packaging Corp. of Amer. - Pittsburgh, Pa.; Jan. 1993 - July 1994

                The biggest production volume month this plant had ever had was less than 51 MMSF until the team that I had the opportunity to be a part of was put in place.  Between Jan. 1993 and July 1993 we were able to raise the monthly production to a consistent 80+ MMSF, a level that we maintained during my time there.  As senior planner I put in place processes for purchasing roll stock, maintaining adequate but not inflated roll inventories, held trim loss below 2 % and average web above 94” on their 98” corrugator.  Our team’s turn around effort was hailed as the historical best the company had ever seen in view of the level of productivity increase in the shortest time frame.  This success provided our GM, Frank Genovese, the opportunity to become Dir. of Mfg. for Gaylord Container.  He offered me a chance to work for him.

Southern Container - Dayton, N. J.; Oct. 1982 - Jan. 1993

                This was a start up facility; the third sheet feeder in N. America.  Initially I scheduled the corrugator and shipping, did customer service, ordered and managed roll stock.  Corrugator scheduling results were similar to those I achieved in my previous job with PCA, trim loss consistently below 1.7 % (best in the company) and average web width slightly above 96”.  Four sizes of paper, 98”, 96”, 94”, 92” and minimum combined board grades providing large trim pools were instrumental in being able to achieve these results in spite of the extremely short lead times that accompany sheet feeder operations.  These same restrictions on roll stock grade/widths and large trim pools also made it possible to operate on low inventory levels.  During the first year of operation the plant monthly volume increased from 25 MMSF to 85 MMSF and roll stock inventory levels never exceeded 2500 T.

                I held a variety of positions in my time here after the first couple years including payroll and production reporting.  I learned computer corrugator scheduling on the first commercially viable CTI Corr-Trim release and worked with this software through 2 subsequent program upgrades beginning in 1986.  I wrote spreadsheet programs for roll stock production reporting reconciliations and also trained payroll and production reporting personnel.

                In 1985 the plant was expanded and pre-print manufacturing, sales, and converting were added to our product line.  During the last few years here I was responsible for web-press planning and scheduling and raw and printed roll stock management for both the tradition corrugator and also the pre-print operations.

Packaging Corp. of America - Lancaster, Pa.; Nov. 1980 - July 1982

                Here I learned corrugator scheduling and roll stock management.  I was able to schedule this 78” corrugator with less than 2% trim loss and an average web width of over 76”.  This was before computer science was applied to the production environment.  Manual ‘trimming’ with a calculator was the state of the art.  I was laid off being the junior member of three in my department which included my boss the planner and the shipping manager.

Packaging Corp. of America - Liverpool, N. Y.; July 1976 - Nov. 1980

                When my management training was completed I held positions as corrugator supervisor and finishing supervisor.  During the four years here the plant team won PCA‘s production efficiency award 3 times and placed 2^nd the remaining time.  This award was based on 5 different performance categories and weighted to add points based on improvement. I mention this to point out that during my formative years in production management I had the opportunity to work with a group of highly skilled and talented people.  I learned my lessons from some of the best.

                I was offered a chance to learn production planning at the Lancaster, Pa. plant and accepted it.

Packaging Corp. of America - Rittman, Ohio; Sept. 1974 - July 1976

                This was my first experience in a full service corrugator plant.  My job experience here included such highlights as improving productivity on  a 4 bar slitter scorer so that incentive goals were met or exceeded; working with the operator of the machine to make bonus pay where prior to my presence no incentive paying production levels had ever been met.  My application of intelligence to the jobs assigned me drew the attention of the management who encouraged me to take a management promotion test.  I took the test, passed it easily and was accepted into the management training program and transferred to the facility in Liverpool, N. Y. for training and my first managerial position.

Menasha Corp. - Medina, Ohio; April 1972 - Aug. 1974

                I was a factory worker in this sheet plant.  During my time here I held positions including but not limited to semi - auto bander operator, 3 color letterpress helper, folder gluer operator and rotary d/c operator.  I worked many other job classifications and tried to learn as much about the business as my position as a laborer allowed.

Education

                Highland High School - Granger, Ohio; GPA 2.97

                Ohio University - Athens, Ohio; Double Major Chem/Psych; 2 years, no degree GPA 3.11

References

                Tom Licht              Former GM at SSCC Aston, Pa.;  pitlicht@aol.com  (610) 858-7218

                Frank Genovese   Central Indiana area business unit GM;   fgenovese@smurfit.com

                Terry Paulson       Corp. mfg. Mgr;  tpaulson@independencecorr.com  (414) 460-5965

                Phil Shockley        Phil. Pa. business unit* logistics Mgr. pshockley@smurfit.com  (610) 485-8741

                Rob Marquis         Former Phil. business unit* ops. Mgr.;  (856) 241-1321

                * SSCC’s Philadelphia business unit includes facilities as follows; 1 in Baltimore, 2 in Philadelphia, Pa. and 1 in Williamsport, Pa.

Closing Remarks

                Throughout my career I have been able to make significant positive contributions to the manufacturing environment, whatever my duties entailed.  I have had the opportunity to work with some great talents and some very successful managers.  I have always tried to learn as much as I could in any job I have been in and because of the knowledge gained on my own and from the talented people I have worked with. I believe I have benefited and those who have employed me have as well. 

                I am constantly aware of and remind myself that any truly successful endeavor requires team effort, each contributing his part to the whole.  I don’t see myself as the answer to your problems.  I do see myself as a necessary link in the over-all success of the team.  I hope you will give me a chance to take up my part.