Richard Roberts serves as Manufacturing Advisor of Worl, where he advises multi-site operational strategy, integration, and performance optimization across the aerospace & defense precision machining enterprise. He ensures each site achieves scalable efficiency, quality excellence, and sustained value creation.
Robert has 40+ years of vast experience in large scale operations, leadership, integration and M&A in global manufacturing and quality improvement across 7 industries and 5 continents. From saving GM $500M in EBITDA to scaling Herman Miller’s production capacity 417% while cutting lead times 71%, to restructuring Weir Minerals’ global footprint and reviving a $210M Shanghai operation to name a few.
Robert has a history of designing and implementing innovative Manufacturing and Quality Improvement strategies. His career includes turnaround successes at General Motors, Herman Miller, Avery Dennison, Kennametal, Oerlikon, Weir Minerals and more recently as Chief Executive Officer of a major Tier 1 Supplier to the automotive industry. Bob has deployed global strategies in the United States, China, Australia, Mexico, Germany, Italy, Brazil, and Chile. He has a proven ability to create and cultivate growth-oriented business cultures and brings an innovative approach to re-engineering critical processes.
Richards’ career began at the General Motors Milford Proving Ground deploying multiple process control systems for GM’s Assembly Division headquartered in Detroit. One of his early assignments was to reduce early mileage powertrain warranty. GM produced 29,000 vehicles per day at the time and was rapidly losing market share due to poor product quality and declining customer satisfaction. The comprehensive problem prevention process he created achieved over $500M of EBITDA Savings in just the first five years and substantially improved customer satisfaction as reported by J.D. Power. In addition, he implemented the first automated assembly plant roll test inspection and real-time quality feedback system in the automotive industry, now 35 years later a global standard.
Later in his career at iconic office furniture maker Herman Miller, he had P&L responsibility for a $250M business unit where rapid sales growth was outpacing manufacturing capacity. Deploying one of the first implementations of Lean Manufacturing outside of the automotive industry, Richards improved production capacity 417% while decreasing customer lead-time 71%. His achievements were later documented by, Dr. Jeffrey Liker, author of “The Toyota Way.” In 2018, Scotland based Weir Minerals was struggling due to an inefficient regionally focused divisional organizational structure. Appointed Vice President of Central Operations, he created an effective business strategy that streamlined the global manufacturing and distribution footprint. Bob also led the successful turnaround of an under-performing $210M manufacturing operation for Weir in Shanghai, China. Richards’ success has spanned seven uniquely different industries and five continents with an unrivaled talent for developing high performance teams and building consensus with internal and external resources.
Education
BBA, Cleary University
Executive Development, Harvard Business School
Board of Directors Collaborations
- Private Directors Association Member (PDA)
- Cleary University – Board of Trustees
- Oerlikon – $50M Additive Manufacturing Greenfield Kennametal – Global Management Based Safety Program