ABOUT THE OWNER

I'm not a software vendor who read about manufacturing. I've run the plant.

Twenty-five years in manufacturing — mechanical engineer, multi-site plant manager, engineering executive. I have owned a P&L, carried the on-time delivery number into a Monday meeting, and led an ERP cutover from the inside. I build these tools because for most of my career I needed them and could not buy them. I am still running a plant floor today.

Call (469) 570-2443 Book a free plant walkthrough

“That’s something I’ve always appreciated about you, your vision for the future and your ability to think about how to create tools that can predict, improve, and keep you one step ahead of everyone else in the market.”
— Silviu Beligan, RBF DMAT Automation Technology

Where that came from

Now: Founder of Second Shift Analytics. Also Operations Manager at a multi-site DFW manufacturer, reporting to the CEO — multiple production lines running a make-to-order schedule. Built the schedulers, shortage analysis and dashboards that plant runs on daily.
2021–2025: Global Engineering & Technology Manager at a heavy steel equipment manufacturer. Reported to the COO, led roughly 20 engineers across the US, Mexico and Italy. Rework down over 75%; standard job release hours down over 80%.
2011–2021: Multi-site Plant Manager, $4.5M P&L, two facilities — everything from HR to shipping to safety. Took on-time delivery from 45% to 94% and led the division's Epicor ERP implementation and cutover.
1999–2011: Engineering and operations roles at Kimberly-Clark, James Hardie and Cellu Tissue — capital projects, plant startups, maintenance and reliability.
Education: BS Mechanical Engineering, Louisiana Tech University.

What that means when I walk your floor

I already speak the language. Routings, bills of material, promise dates, changeovers, consigned material. You will not spend the first meeting explaining your process to me.
I have been the customer for software like this. I have sat through the demos and signed for systems that did not do what the demo showed. I know what that costs.
I know which exceptions actually matter. Every plant runs on about fourteen exceptions that are in nobody's documentation. Finding those is most of the work, and it is the part a vendor's implementation team never does.
I will tell you when the answer is no. If your data cannot support what you want, that is what the assessment report will say. I would rather hand you that than take the build.

A few things I've been accountable for

On-time delivery

45% → 94%

across two plants, over a sustained lean and scheduling effort.

Capacity

30%

increase at the same variable cost, from $1.1M in targeted capital and process work.

Rework

75%

reduction after putting engineering data in front of the people building the product.

Start with a free 60-minute plant walkthrough

No cost, no obligation, no presentation. I walk your floor, sit with whoever sequences production and whoever buys material, and tell you honestly whether there's anything here worth doing.

Call (469) 570-2443 Email aharwell@secondshiftanalytics.com

Capacity is limited to two engagements at a time. I reply to every enquiry within one business day.