Steel Mill Operations Consultant

Our client a $100M private equity-backed manufacturer of steel I-beams is seeking an experienced Steel Mill Operations Consultant to address critical operational challenges at their 50000 sq ft steel mill located in the Northeast. The company is facing significant downtime (40-45%) well above industry standards resulting in costly inefficiencies. The mill utilizes specialized equipment including a 3-Hi 5-pass rolling mill and two universal mills requiring specific expertise for effective operation and maintenance. This role is pivotal in identifying root causes and implementing solutions to optimize mill performance.

Job Summary

We are seeking a highly skilled Steel Mill Operations Consultant with deep expertise in steel mill operations particularly with 3-Hi 5-pass rolling mills and universal mills to conduct an on-site evaluation of the clients current processes equipment and material flow. The consultant will diagnose the root causes of excessive downtime and develop actionable recommendations to enhance operational efficiency and capacity. This is a remote position with on-site requirements at the clients facility in the Northeast with an immediate start date.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct a comprehensive on-site evaluation of the steel mills processes equipment and material flow with a focus on the 3-Hi 5-pass rolling mill and two universal mills.

• Identify root causes of the current 40-45% downtime significantly above industry standards considering the unique configuration of the mills legacy equipment.

• Develop and present detailed recommendations to reduce downtime and improve operational efficiency tailored to the specific requirements of 3-Hi and universal mill setups.

• Collaborate with the clients team to execute proposed changes leveraging expertise in maintaining and troubleshooting older mill technologies.

• Provide expert guidance based on direct experience in steel mill operations particularly with 3-Hi 5-pass and universal mill configurations to ensure practical and effective solutions.

• Deliver progress reports and final recommendations to stakeholders via the Alpha Center portal or direct communication.

Qualifications

• Required:

  • Extensive experience as a manufacturing operations consultant with a focus on the steel mill industry specifically with 3-Hi 5-pass rolling mills and universal mills.

  • Direct hands-on experience in steel mill operations including operation maintenance and troubleshooting of 3-Hi 5-pass rolling mills and universal mills used for producing structural shapes like I-beams.

  • Proven expertise in evaluating and optimizing steel mill processes equipment and material flow particularly for legacy systems to reduce downtime.

  • Strong analytical and problem-solving skills to diagnose operational inefficiencies in specialized mill configurations.

  • Excellent communication and collaboration skills to work effectively with client teams and stakeholders.

  • Immediate availability to start the engagement (ASAP).

• Preferred:

  • Experience with maintenance or retrofitting of older steel mill equipment such as 3-Hi rolling mills or universal mills.

  • Familiarity with industry-standard metrics and benchmarks for steel mill performance particularly for mills producing specialized structural shapes.

  • Previous experience working with private equity-backed organizations is a plus but not critical.

Project Details

• Duration: Contract-based with an immediate start date (August 2025).

• Location: Remote with on-site evaluations required at the clients 50000 sq ft steel mill in the Northeast.

• Objective: Reduce downtime from 40-45% to align with or exceed industry standards improving overall mill capacity and efficiency with a focus on optimizing the 3-Hi 5-pass rolling mill and two universal mills.

• Reporting: Regular updates and final deliverables to be submitted via the Alpha Center portal or directly to the project manager.

Why Join This Project

This is a high-impact opportunity to leverage your specialized expertise in 3-Hi 5-pass rolling mills and universal mills to drive meaningful operational improvements for a private equity-backed manufacturer. Your work will directly contribute to reducing costly downtime and enhancing the clients competitive position in the steel industry particularly in the production of structural I-beams.