Mauricio Vivas

Experience

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  Unilever

  Feb 1996 - May 2017

  Developed and operationalized quality policy, strategy, processes, quality management system, and future capabilities across organizational entities, covering all product categories and technologies. Served as primary liaison with global and product group quality, engineering, and continuous improvement. • Developed and deployed new quality defects risk model and tool to 100+ sites, improving risk by >17%. • Implemented global quality best practices, identifying 300 items, and replicating 160 at 50 sites. • Reduced supplier non-conformances by developing and deploying revised supplier quality model, tool, and WCM 8-stage improvement procedure. • Implemented new design review process to comply with company mandatory quality standards in Engineering function, minimizing quality losses and enabling vertical start-up on projects for all categories. • Improved skills in consumer safety, good manufacturing, hygiene, and use of continuous improvement tools by delivering expert training sessions to global audience of 980 participants. Show less Deployed Manufacturing Excellence Strategy, including TPM and WCM, regional virtual sites, end-to-end supply chain, and human resources (HR) for factories. Designed and deployed the continuous improvement regional training program for 200+ directors, managers, and employees. Led regional quality pillar circle and performed as the main liaison with Quality, Engineering, and Safety global teams. • Led factories cultural change by integrating TPM, Lean Manufacturing, and WCM improvement tools / techniques rigorously across all functions through coaching and hands-on Kaizen workshops, resulting in: o 20% reduction in consumer complaints; o 4% annual efficiency improvements; o waste reduction and annual savings of >€2M; and o improved output reliability and consumer service above 95%.• Provided strategic leadership and coaching to Cuernavaca, becoming first North American site awarded TPM world class level. Show less Led supply chain analysis, implementation, and rollout of savory innovation projects for quality, safety, productivity, and regulatory compliance. Served as member of Global Technical Community of Practice, defining and deploying new technologies, GMPs, and best practices worldwide.• Optimized existing and new technologies, minimizing supply chain complexity and improving gross margin.• Executed closure of Arecibo plant in Puerto Rico, delivering annual savings of €5M.• Lead implementation of 1st-phase of regional savory harmonization project, yielding estimated savings of €8M. • Achieved strict global nutrition guidelines by implementing sodium reduction strategy for regional formulations.• Implemented new product management system, minimizing supply chain losses and enabling vertical start-ups. Show less Developed new formulations and processes at owned and 3rd-party manufacturing units for North America markets. Defined specifications and claims aligned with legal regulatory requirements and company global nutrition strategy. Led implementation of new specification system.• Identified and implemented improved formulations and best practices, enhancing quality and profit, and enabling market share growth.• Developed plan for various continuous improvement projects, identifying potential savings of €2M.• Developed and implemented Becel pro-active, fish oil, buttery products, new trans-free Family Goodness brand formulations, and Hellmann’s Olive Oil products, achieving challenging legal, production, and shelf life requirements and supporting important market share / turnover gains. • Developed and launched oil level reduction project, delivering yearly savings of more than €1M. Show less Led identification, optimization, and transfer of best practices in oil and spreads formulations, manufacturing, and equipment. Provided technical support for bakery products formulation and processes worldwide. Member of European Foods Soluble Ingredients / GMO expert group, and consumer safety teams. Instructor for Global Edible Fats Manufacturing (oil / spreads manufacturing) and Latin American Fat Formulation courses.• Developed continuous improvement projects for Australia and Mexico, realizing annual savings of €2M.• Set up global specifications and alternate suppliers for vitamins, colorants, mixed tocopherols and lecithin, enabling cost and supply optimization along all company clusters. • Achieved global nutritional guidelines compliance by:o developing trans-free and low saturated fatty acids (SAFA) formulations for Latin American region; o developing novel hard stock for Country Crock USA (patent request submitted). Show less Led plant operation, including five production lines of industrial oils and home/bakery margarine. (40,000 tons per year). Managed materials throughput of USD $50 millions, USD $20 millions in fixed assets and 110 people, including engineers, chemist analyst and technicians. Responsible for expenses, efficiencies, improvement programmes, quality control and loss control system. Company negotiator for collective agreements with unions on 1996 and 1998.Regional Project member for project Homework, (Latin America Quality Enhancement Group). Show less

  • Global Quality Lead, Manufacturing, WCM, and Engineering

    Dec 2015 - May 2017

  • Continuous Improvement Manager Americas

    Jan 2012 - Dec 2015

  • Technical Innovation Engineer Dry Savoury North America

    Jan 2008 - Dec 2011

  • R & D Manager Spreads, Dressings and Slim Fast

    May 2005 - Dec 2007

  • Technology Transfer Manager, Americas & Asia

    Apr 2003 - Apr 2005

  • Technical Manager Rexdale Plant

    Mar 1999 - Mar 2003

  • Foods Manufacturing Manager

    Feb 1996 - Feb 1999
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  Business Excellence BEx, Coaching and Consulting

  May 2017 - now

  Owner and Director

  BEx specializes in the development and the systematic deployment of continuous improvement systems, focussing on developing people, optimizing processes, and products while delivering sustainable results. Business solutions are built based on customer strengths and business needs.

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  Lean Dimensions International

  Aug 2017 - Sept 2020

  Senior Practitioner