Upholstery Production Supervisor

Job Description

Job Description

1, The Upholstery Production Workshop Supervisor is fully responsible for the production operation and management of the upholstery workshop, covering products such as sofas, mattresses, and upholstered furniture.

2, By applying Lean manufacturing methods and process optimization, this role coordinates the end-to-end production process from raw materials to finished goods, with a strong focus on improving material utilization, sewing efficiency, and product quality. The position ensures that production targets are achieved in terms of cost, delivery lead time, and quality, supporting the growth of the factory’s upholstery business line.

Key Responsibilities

1. Production Operations Management

· Develop daily and weekly production schedules for the upholstery workshop based on production plans; coordinate cutting, sewing, upholstering, filling, and packaging processes.

· Monitor production progress to ensure on-time order delivery, with special attention to products requiring special processes such as compressed sofas.

· Manage material flow within the workshop, optimize Work-in-Process (WIP) inventory, and ensure continuous production.

2. Process & Technical Management

· Demonstrate strong expertise in the manufacturing processes of sofas, mattresses, and upholstered furniture, including but not limited to:

o Cutting processes: optimize fabric and foam nesting layouts to improve material yield.

o Sewing processes: establish sewing standards to improve efficiency and consistency of quality.

o Upholstering processes: guide cover installation, filling shaping, and fabric/leather upholstering techniques.

· Lead process standardization and optimization of fixtures and tools; resolve technical issues arising during production.

· Support the R&D team in sample making and process introduction for new products.

3. Lean Improvement & Cost Control

· Implement Lean tools such as 5S, standardized work, and line balance analysis to eliminate waste and shorten production lead time.

· Lead material yield improvement projects by optimizing nesting layouts, reducing cutting loss, and standardizing leftover material management to reduce cost.

· Drive sewing efficiency improvement initiatives through process restructuring, equipment optimization, and skill training to increase output per operator.

· Monitor consumption of auxiliary materials (threads, buttons, adhesives, etc.) and implement cost control measures.

4. Quality Management

· Establish quality inspection standards for each upholstery process, ensuring compliance with requirements for cutting accuracy, seam strength, filling uniformity, and surface appearance.

· Implement first-article inspection, in-process inspection, and finished goods sampling inspection to reduce rework rates and customer complaints.

· Lead root cause analysis of quality issues and drive implementation of corrective and preventive actions.

5. Equipment & People Management

· Manage daily maintenance and inspection of cutting tables, sewing machines, and upholstering tools to ensure stable equipment operation.

· Build and train production teams; develop multi-skilled operator training programs to enhance workforce capability and production flexibility.

· Implement safety management with special attention to risks related to cutting knives, sewing machines, and foam cutting operations.

6. Cross-functional Collaboration & Communication

· (Fluent English preferred) Able to use English for production reporting, reading process documents, and basic communication with overseas customers or teams.

· Collaborate with Purchasing to optimize inventory of fabrics, foam, and other raw materials; coordinate with Warehouse on inbound and outbound finished goods.

· Regularly report production performance, cost data, and improvement progress to management.

Job Requirement

Qualifications

1. Mandatory Requirements

• Age: Under 40 years old.
• Education: College degree or above; majors in Garment Engineering, Furniture Design, or related fields preferred.
• Experience: Minimum 5 years of production management experience in the sofa or garment industry, with hands-on and management experience across the full process of upholstered furniture (sofas, mattresses).
• Experience in compressed sofa production is a strong advantage.
• Language: Basic English reading and writing skills required; fluent English is preferred.

2. Core Competency Requirements

• Process expertise: In-depth knowledge of cutting, sewing, upholstering, and filling processes for sofas and mattresses; able to provide on-site technical guidance and solve process-related issues.
• Efficiency improvement expert: Proven success in improving sewing efficiency through process optimization, line balancing, or tooling improvements.
• Cost control capability: Strong understanding of fabric and foam characteristics, with practical experience in improving material yield through nesting optimization.
• Team management capability: Able to effectively manage sewing and upholstering teams, primarily consisting of female workers, with strong on-site coordination skills.

3. Personal Attributes

• Results-oriented with high standards for detail and quality.
• Strong hands-on capability and practical problem-solving skills.
• Able to adapt to a fast-paced production environment and work under pressure.