About Us

Z Manufacturing Consulting is ready to apply 40 years of experience to help Manufacturing CEOs/COOs and Private Equity Investors realize current opportunities and cost benefits with services that get real results.

Richard (Rick) Zelley is the founder of Z Manufacturing Consulting.  He is a manufacturing professional offering executive level experience in managing manufacturing, technical, and supply chain operations with Fortune 100, Private Equity, and family owned businesses.

Rick offers a proven track record of developing organizational structures and processes to meet current and future business needs in a cost-effective, competitive, reliable, and customer service focused manner.  His organizational experience is in both union and non-union environments.  He has led successful union avoidance initiatives and has successfully negotiated fourteen labor agreements.  He is a cost driven leader and has developed teams to follow in his example.

Of note, Rick led US and UK based manufacturing teams in repatriation of previously outsourced products which led to significant factory expansions.  As well as leading manufacturing organizations in the US and UK, he also led technical service and distribution teams in the UK, Sweden, Germany, and France.  He has been directly involved in the development of Asian sources.

Here’s some highlights of his experience:

Mannington Mills – Madison, GA

  • Following the acquisition of Amtico International by Mannington Mills, Rick guided the integration of the Amtico global manufacturing, technical, and supply chain teams into Mannington operations.  Following this important step, he provided leadership support to the largest expansion project in the history of the company resulting in a doubling of capacity and the introduction of new products and processes.  The project involved land acquisition, building expansion, equipment specification and procurement, equipment installation, development of process specifications, organizational development, commissioning.

Amtico International – Coventry, UK

  • Directed the manufacturing, technical, and supply chain operations of LVT products including factored products in order to support the international sales of Amtico branded products.
  • Managed 3 factories in 2 countries and 5 warehouse and distribution centers with seven direct reports and 600 total staff.  Managed multi-million dollar annual operating, raw materials, and capital budgets.  Managed relationship with 3 Far East OEM suppliers.  Processes included extrusion, calendering, laminating, coating, cutting, and finishing.
  • Restructured the operations organization and recruited strong manufacturing and supply chain managers.
  • Successfully managed cost and performance to support year on year profit growth.
  • Successfully led project to reengineer product and processes to achieve cost parity with Far East manufacturers.  This permitted the repatriation of sourced Finished Goods and ultimately led to a major business expansion.
  • Worked closely with the CEO and other functional Directors to develop short and long term business strategies and operational tactics.

Occidental Chemical Corporation

  • Managed all manufacturing and manufacturing support functions at three different sites producing PVC resin, extruded compounds, calendered film and sheeting, downstream rotogravure printed and laminated products.
  • Successfully re-engineered under performing locations in order to achieve profitability and ongoing viability.
  • Successfully negotiated numerous labor agreements including medical cost containment, improved staffing efficiency, two tier wage structures, and random drug testing.
  • Implemented union avoidance programs at a non-union site.