Purchasing Manager
17 hours ago
Gardena
TCI PRECISION METALS | E-Z LOK Divisions of Tool Components, Inc. | PURCHASING MANAGER Full-Time | On-Site | Gardena & Los Alamitos, CA | $100,000 – $130,000 DOE About the Companies TCI Precision Metals and E-Z LOK are sister divisions of Tool Components, Inc., a third-generation, family-owned manufacturing company founded in 1956. TCI Precision Metals, headquartered in Gardena, CA, is a leading manufacturer and supplier of Machine-Ready Blanks—precision-ground and milled aluminum, stainless steel, carbon steel, and copper products that eliminate material prep for machine shops and OEMs nationwide. E-Z LOK, based in Los Alamitos, CA, is a well-known brand of threaded inserts for metal, wood, and plastic—including the E-Z LOK™ solid wall, E-Z Coil™, E-Z Knife™, E-Z Hex™, E-Z Sonic™, and E-Z Press™ product lines—sold through a nationwide distributor network and direct e-commerce. Both divisions hold ISO 9001 certification, and TCI additionally holds AS9100 certification. Together, they serve industries including aerospace, defense, medical, semiconductor, automotive, and general manufacturing. The Opportunity We are looking for a hands-on Purchasing Manager to take full ownership of procurement across both TCI Precision Metals and E-Z LOK. This is an individual contributor role reporting directly to the Owner/President. You will split your time between both facilities—primarily based at TCI in Gardena with approximately one day per week at the E-Z LOK facility in Los Alamitos. You will be responsible for strategic sourcing, day-to-day purchasing, inventory optimization, supplier management, and cost reduction for both operations. The right person combines sharp negotiation skills with deep knowledge of metals and manufactured components supply chains, and is comfortable working across two distinct product lines and ERP environments. This is a high-impact role with real visibility—your decisions will directly affect margins, on-time delivery, and operational efficiency across the entire organization. Key ResponsibilitiesStrategic Sourcing • Build and maintain strong relationships with mills, metal distributors, and component suppliers across both TCI and E-Z LOK product lines, • Monitor supplier performance for quality, delivery, responsiveness, and cost competitiveness, • Research, identify, evaluate, and onboard new vendors for raw materials, threaded insert components, packaging, and other supplies, • Negotiate pricing, terms, lead times, freight terms, and consignment or exclusivity arrangements, • Develop backup sourcing and disaster recovery strategies to ensure supply continuity for both divisions Day-to-Day Purchasing • Oversee daily purchasing of raw materials, MRO items, packaging, and other supplies for both TCI and E-Z LOK, • Review and approve purchase orders within established dollar limits, • Manage freight purchasing and freight claims, • Ensure accurate order quantities, pricing, due dates, and vendor confirmations, • Expedite late orders and manage material shortages across both facilities, • Resolve PO discrepancies, invoice mismatches, and receiving issues Inventory Management • Help set and maintain min/max levels, reorder points, safety stock, and order policies for both divisions, • Balance inventory availability against excess and obsolete stock, • Coordinate buys based on demand forecasts, customer orders, production schedules, and seasonality, • Support cycle count and inventory accuracy efforts where purchasing impacts inventory health Production & Cross-Functional Support • Work closely with production, planning, warehouse, sales, and customer service teams at both TCI and E-Z LOK, • Ensure material availability to support manufacturing schedules without interruption at either facility, • Prioritize purchases for urgent jobs, stockouts, and customer commitments, • Communicate supply risks, delays, and allocation issues early and proactively Quality & Compliance Support • Coordinate with quality on supplier corrective actions and vendor quality issues, • Ensure purchased materials meet specifications, certifications, and regulatory requirements (including AS9100 for TCI’s aerospace work), • Maintain vendor documentation including W-9s, insurance certificates, conflict minerals declarations, country-of-origin documentation, and RoHS/REACH compliance records as applicable Cost Control & Savings • Drive cost reduction initiatives through negotiation, alternate sourcing, consolidation, and value analysis across both divisions, • Track purchase price variance (PPV) and document savings, • Review and respond to vendor price increases and market changes, • Identify freight, packaging, and minimum order quantity improvements Data, Systems & Reporting • Maintain accurate item and vendor purchasing data in the ERP systems (NetSuite & Epicor) for both TCI and E-Z LOK, • Review and update lead times, costs, supplier records, and purchasing parameters, • Leverage ERP/MRP outputs to plan and manage purchasing activity, • Report on open POs, late deliveries, supplier scorecards, inventory position, and savings across both divisions Tactical & Ad Hoc • Serve as a backup for credit issues and order releases, • Review POs for accuracy, detail, and lead time alignment, • Manage bid buyouts and bid inventory processes, • Purchase goods and services across the organization as needed, • Lead the weekly SAT (Supply Action Team) meeting, • Prepare and distribute material usage reports Performance Goals & KPIs • Reduce spend significantly, YOY, for both companies in the first year on comparable volume, • Improve supplier on-time delivery (OTD) metrics across both divisions, • Increase inventory turns while maintaining service levels, • Reduce stockout frequency across key materials and finished goods components, • Decrease past-due purchase order backlog, • Improve supplier quality performance and reduce vendor-related nonconformances, • Reduce excess and obsolete inventory exposure QualificationsRequired • 7–10+ years of purchasing experience in metals, manufacturing, or industrial distribution, • Deep knowledge of metal raw materials (aluminum plate and sheet, stainless steel, carbon steel, copper) and/or manufactured component supply chains including mills, service centers, and distributors, • Proven track record of negotiating pricing, terms, and contracts with suppliers, • Strong ERP proficiency—experience with NetSuite, Epicor, or similar manufacturing ERP systems, • Solid understanding of MRP logic, inventory management principles, and demand planning, • Experience managing supplier scorecards, corrective actions, and vendor qualification processes, • High attention to detail with strong analytical skills and comfort working with data, • Excellent communication and cross-functional collaboration skills, • Self-directed and able to manage competing priorities across multiple facilities in a fast-paced environment Preferred • Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Engineering, or related field, • Experience in aerospace or defense supply chains with familiarity with AS9100 or similar quality standards, • APICS CPIM, CSCP, or similar professional certification, • Experience with e-commerce and distribution-based purchasing models, • Familiarity with freight management, incoterms, and logistics optimization, • Experience managing procurement across multiple sites or product lines What We Offer • Competitive salary of $100,000 – $130,000 depending on experience, • Comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, and vision, • 401(k) with company match, • Paid time off and holidays, • A stable, family-owned company with nearly 70 years of history and strong values, • Direct access to ownership and the ability to make a real impact across two thriving businesses, • A collaborative, no-nonsense team environment where your work matters