American Drillpipe, LLC — Plant / Production Manager – Startup & Quality Systems
Location: Chickasha, Oklahoma (on-site)
About ADP American Drillpipe is a domestic friction-weld drill pipe manufacturer building toward API Q1 and API Spec 5DP certification. We run a modern friction-weld line (200-ton welder), post-weld heat treatment, and in-house inspection, serving oil & gas and adjacent markets (geothermal, mining, water well, HDD). This is a ground-floor, build-it-right role: you'll help bring the line online, stand up the quality system that governs it, and run day-to-day production as we scale.
Benefits / Perks
Competitive compensation
Career growth as the company scales toward full production
Ground-floor role in a debt-free, family-owned manufacturer
Job Summary We are seeking an experienced Plant / Production Manager to help bring our friction-weld drill pipe line online and run it once live. You'll work hands-on with Engineering to install and validate equipment, with the Director of Quality to implement our API Q1 quality management system, and then own daily production as the operation scales. This is a buildout-phase role demanding mechanical aptitude, strong process discipline, and the drive to get a manufacturing operation and its quality system built right the first time.
Responsibilities
Equipment Installation & Validation (in coordination with Engineering)
Assist with installation, setup, and commissioning of production equipment (friction welder, PWHT induction system, machining and handling equipment)
Support equipment validation and qualification activities, including documenting installation and performance verification for QMS records
Help establish preventive maintenance practices and equipment readiness routines
Coordinate with Engineering on PLC/controls integration and process parameter setup
Troubleshoot equipment issues during startup and early production
Production
Manage daily production on the friction-weld line, including operator station assignments and rotation schedules
Coordinate material flow from inbound receiving through welding, PWHT, inspection, and outbound shipping
Schedule production runs and staffing to meet delivery commitments
Oversee shop-floor housekeeping, equipment readiness, and safety practices
Manage inbound/outbound logistics, including coordination of off-hours truck loading
Track and report production metrics (throughput, scrap/rework, on-time delivery, downtime)
Help build and train the production crew as the line ramps to full capacity
Quality Systems Implementation (in support of the Director of Quality)
Assist in developing and rolling out shop-floor procedures and work instructions aligned to API Q1 and 5DP
Help implement document control and records practices on the production floor
Support qualification of externally-provided processes (tool joints, heat treat, upsetting) by gathering and organizing supplier conformance records
Drive adoption of QMS procedures by the production crew during buildout
Support internal readiness activities ahead of the certification audit
Authority note: The Director of Quality retains quality authority, nonconformance disposition, and final product acceptance. Engineering retains ownership of equipment design, process parameters, and qualification authority. This role executes production and supports equipment validation and QMS implementation; it does not hold independent quality or engineering sign-off.
Qualifications
5+ years of manufacturing operations or production supervision; drill pipe, OCTG/tubular, or heavy-industrial fabrication strongly preferred
Mechanical aptitude and hands-on experience installing, commissioning, or maintaining production equipment
Experience bringing a new line or facility online (greenfield/startup or major expansion) strongly preferred
Working knowledge of welding, heat treatment, and NDE/inspection processes
Hands-on experience with API Q1, API 5DP, ISO 9001, or a comparable quality system—building or implementing it, not just working under one
Demonstrated ability to lead and develop a shop-floor crew
Strong organizational and documentation skills—procedures, records, recordkeeping discipline
Excellent verbal and written communication
Willing to work on-site in Chickasha, OK during a demanding buildout phase