Production Superintendent

Hampton Lumber is a thriving family-owned company aspiring to be North America's preferred source for responsibly-sourced wood solutions. Headquartered in Portland, Oregon, we operate nine sawmills in Western Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia. We also manage timberland and operate a wholesale and import/export division.  

Our mission is to grow, manufacture, and market renewable wood products and deliver innovative solutions for a more sustainable built environment. At Hampton Lumber, we accomplish this through our own operations as well as those of our affiliates—Trapa Forest Products, Idaho Timber, and RedBuilt. Our tagline, "Find a better way every day," encapsulates our commitment to innovation and improvement across all operations.
 

We are guided by our core values: 

• Safety – Prioritize safety across all operations.
• Integrity & Authenticity – Operate honestly and ethically while preserving our distinctive family-owned brand.
• Responsible Stewardship – Endeavor to balance and maintain economic, social, and environmental values in everything we do.
• Tenacity – Embrace challenges with grit, determination, and a can-do spirit. 
• Continuous Improvement – Strive to enhance our processes, products, and people.
• Customer Satisfaction – Be nimble, responsive, and solutions-oriented.
• Community Engagement – Be a responsive, supportive, and respected member of the community.

With over 80 years in the sawmill business, we are proud to have cultivated the knowledge and experience needed to grow and prosper, even in challenging times.  We always look to the future and invest in our people, new technologies, and continuous improvement processes and techniques. 

The Production Manager is responsible for leading all daily operations across the mill’s operations to ensure safe, reliable, and efficient production. This role is critical to the successful startup and long-term performance of Hampton’s new sawmill, driving throughput, quality, and cost performance while building a high-accountability, high-engagement culture.

• Substantial company-paid assistance for Medical and Dental insurance premiums; mental health coverage; cost effective co-pays and deductibles
• 401(k) with 5% annual company contribution and generous company matching contributions vested over three years
• Paid time off, including eight paid holidays
• Participation in the employee bonus program
• Employee wellness program that includes free counseling sessions, financial and legal guidance, and more
• Opportunities for paid training to support career advancement and personal development

1. Safety & Environmental Leadership

• Drive a zero-injury culture; ensure all production activities follow Hampton safety standards, OSHA regulations, and environmental compliance requirements.
• Lead daily safety huddles, near-miss reviews, and corrective actions.
• Partner with maintenance and reliability teams to eliminate hazards and unsafe conditions.

2. Startup & Ramp-Up Execution

• Own daily and weekly production startup plans for the new mill.
• Stabilize processes, identify bottlenecks, and implement corrective actions during early ramp-up.
• Work closely with OEMs (e.g., Comact) and contractors to troubleshoot startup issues.

3. Operational Performance Management

• Meet or exceed production targets (green lumber throughput, kiln performance, grade recovery, uptime).
• Monitor KPIs: uptime, recovery, quality defects, cost per MBF, labor productivity.
• Ensure a consistent flow of fiber through the mill, coordinating with the log yard, dry kilns, and shipping.

4. Leadership & People Development

• Lead, coach, and develop Green and Dry End, Dry End Supervisors, and their teams.
• Ensure clear expectations, accountability, and follow-through.
• Build a positive, performance-focused culture aligned with Hampton values.

5. Reliability & Maintenance Coordination

• Collaborate with the Maintenance Superintendent to schedule preventative maintenance, equipment repairs, and planned outages.
• Ensure production teams follow basic care practices (cleaning, lubrication checks, operator inspections).
• Support root cause analysis for recurring downtime issues.

6. Quality Management

• Ensure lumber quality meets grade standards and customer requirements.
• Partner with QC to identify defect patterns and implement process changes to prevent recurrence.
• Drive continuous improvement in recovery and consistency.

7. Continuous Improvement & Cost Management

• Lead focused improvements in throughput, waste reduction, uptime, and labor efficiency.
• Use data to identify improvement opportunities and remove production barriers.
• Manage operating budgets, overtime, and variable costs.

• 7+ years of production leadership experience in sawmilling or heavy industrial manufacturing; startup experience strongly preferred.
• Strong understanding of sawmill flow, recovery drivers, optimization systems, and product quality.
• Proven leadership skills with the ability to build high-performing teams.
• Solid decision-making and troubleshooting skills under pressure.
• Proficiency with production reporting systems, optimization software, and KPI dashboards.
• Ability to work cross-functionally with maintenance, safety, HR, log procurement, and planning.

Success Criteria (First 12–18 Months)

• Safe and stable mill startup with minimal unplanned downtime.
• Achieve targeted throughput and recovery milestones each quarter.
• Build a disciplined operating rhythm (daily walks, tier meetings, KPI tracking).
• Strong, aligned supervisor team with clear accountability.
• Measurable improvements in uptime, quality defects, and cost per MBF.

The timber and wood products industry is a vital part of many communities, and we’re excited to bring new opportunities to Allendale County, South Carolina. We are committed to supporting the local workforce, investing in training and development, and being active members of the communities where we operate. Many of our employees have built long, rewarding careers with us, and we look forward to welcoming new team members to our family.

Learn more at Hamptonlumber.com, follow us on Facebook & Instagram: @hamptonlumber

Hampton Lumber is an equal opportunity employer: All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race/ethnicity, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, age, or any other status protected by law. 

Disability accommodation available: If you are an individual with a disability and need a reasonable accommodation in the application or hiring process, please contact the Human Resources Office for the location that you are applying.

Women and minorities are encouraged to apply.

For more information about our commitment to equal employment opportunity, please see these government posters: EEO is the Law and its accompanying temporary supplement.