Manufacturing Associate

At National Trade Supply, the Manufacturing Associate is a versatile, cross‑trained production team member who plays a direct role in the assembly, quality, and packaging of the air and water filtration products we manufacture. This single role spans the full breadth of our manufacturing floor—from assembling filter components and installing gaskets, to printing and applying frame labels, inspecting finished units, and boxing completed product for shipment.

Every Manufacturing Associate is expected to develop competency across all functions and rotate between stations as production needs require.

Full‑time

• Competitive hourly pay and a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your well‑being.
• A Monday–Thursday schedule (6:00 AM – 4:30 PM) that gives you three‑day weekends every week.
• Cross‑training across all manufacturing functions — building skills that make you more valuable every week.
• A clear path to grow — our tier‑based pay structure rewards skill development, cross‑training, and consistency.
• A stable, team‑oriented environment where your work directly impacts the products customers rely on.
• A culture that’s always striving to improve — we invest in the people who show up and do the work.
• Clear expectations, defined processes, and team leads/supervisors who are there to support your success.

• Perform hands‑on assembly of air or water filtration products at assigned production stations in accordance with standard work instructions and cycle time targets.
• Follow established build sequences and techniques for each product type, ensuring every unit is assembled completely and correctly before moving downstream.
• Maintain a consistent output rate throughout the full shift, keeping pace with line flow and daily production targets.
• Notify the team lead promptly of any tooling issues, material shortages, or build concerns that could affect production.
• Perform changeovers on the assembly line as required, transitioning between product types efficiently and in accordance with standard work instructions.
• Install O‑rings onto water filters, including the caps, heads, and inserts, ensuring proper seating on every component.
• Glue caps onto the carbon and confirm a secure, complete bond before the unit advances downstream.
• Load carbon into canisters in accordance with standard work instructions and fill specifications.
• Install gaskets on air filter frames in accordance with approved work instructions, ensuring proper alignment, seating, and compression on every unit.
• Inspect gasket condition prior to installation—reject and set aside any gaskets that are torn, deformed, or otherwise non‑conforming.
• Verify that gaskets are fully and evenly seated before the unit advances to the next production stage.
• Maintain awareness of gasket inventory levels at the workstation and communicate replenishment needs to the material handler or team lead before running out.
• Operate the frame printer to produce and apply product identification labels to air filter frames in accordance with work instructions and labeling specifications.
• Verify that each label is printed correctly, including the correct product number, description, and any required markings, before applying it to the frame.
• Apply labels accurately and consistently—properly aligned, fully adhered, and free of bubbles, creases, or misplacement.
• Perform basic printer maintenance tasks including label stock loading and print head cleaning; notify the team lead of any printer errors or malfunctions.
• Maintain label stock levels at the workstation and request replenishment as needed.
• Inspect assembled and finished filtration products against approved quality standards throughout the shift, checking for defects in construction, cosmetic appearance, labeling, gasket installation, and packaging.
• Identify, segregate, and tag non‑conforming units; communicate quality concerns to the team lead promptly and do not allow defective product to advance downstream.
• Compare finished units against approved reference samples or visual quality standards at the workstation.
• Raise concerns about recurring defects, process drift, or unclear quality standards to the team…