Mike Birkle - Consultant
Manufacturing / Injection Mold / Product Launch / Optimization
INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE​
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Automotive Manufacturing
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Injection Molding and Mold Manufacturing
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Notching and Cutting Equipment
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Ultrasonic Welding
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Product Launch Management
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Vocational Training
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Operational Excellence
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Business Performance Turnaround
KEY PROJECTS
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Site selection and startup of foreign subsidiaries
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Established a vocational training program
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Transfer of new technology and products including training of staff
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Optimizing Manufacturing and Assembly processes
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Planning and construction of new company building from concept to start of production within 1 year
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Received 2 Corporate Awards (20 19 GACC Gateway Award, 20 11 Charlotte Mayor’s International Community Award)
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
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1988-1995 Gardena GmbH, Ulm, - Germany Junior Management Position focusing on product and process improvements
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1995-2001 Herrmann Ultrasonics, Schaumburg, IL - Division Manager responsible for P+L, HR, Sales, and Engineering of customized equipment for automotive Tier 1, packaging, and nonwovens industries
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2001-2005 Global Partners, Bartlett, IL - Owner Consulting and sales support agency
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2005-2016 Pfaff Molds, Charlotte, NC - President fully responsible for US subsidiary including P+L, HR, Sales, Manufacturing, and Service for the manufacturing of injection molds and notching equipment for the automotive sealing industry in the NAFTA Market. The customer base is the German and USA Automotive OEMs and their Tier 1 suppliers
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2016-2020 Pfaff Molds International - Director of Globalization Establishing and startup of Pfaff subsidiaries in China and Mexico including management of global projects and coordinating resources from Germany and USA for China and Mexico
EDUCATION
1984 - 1988 College Fachhochschule Ulm, Germany Master Degree in Production Engineering
2015 Fly Carolina Aviation School, Monroe, NC Private Pilot’s License
MISCELLANEOUS
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German (native)
English (fluent)
Spanish (basic knowledge)