Production Floor Trainer
About the job
- A high school diploma or GED is required.
- Three to five years of manufacturing experience, including at least two years operating multiple packaging or production lines, is required.
- Strong mechanical aptitude and the ability to understand equipment operation and perform basic troubleshooting are required.
- Demonstrated leadership, coaching, communication, and interpersonal skills are required.
- Knowledge of Occupational Safety and Health Administration requirements, Good Manufacturing Practices, Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points principles, and food safety practices is required.
- The ability to train employees with varying levels of experience and work effectively across Production, Quality, Maintenance, Sanitation, and Safety/EHS is required.
- The ability to maintain accurate, timely, and organized training documentation is required.
- The ability to stand and walk for extended periods throughout the manufacturing facility is required.
- The ability to lift and move up to 50 pounds is required.
- The ability to climb stairs and access production platforms as required is required.
- The ability to work in hot, cold, and noisy production environments and wear all required personal protective equipment is required.
- Provide structured, hands-on training to new and existing employees on equipment setup, startup, operation, shutdown, cleaning, product changeovers, basic troubleshooting, work instructions, standard operating procedures, and standardized work.
- Train employees on filling equipment, capping systems, labeling machines, date coding equipment, vision inspection systems, case packers, palletizers, conveyors, retail and industrial packaging lines, and related support equipment.
- Evaluate operator knowledge and hands-on competency, certify employees before independent operation, and coordinate refresher training or retraining when required.
- Develop and support cross-training plans that improve workforce flexibility, identify skill gaps, and mentor employees as they transition to independent operation.
- Adapt training methods to employees with varying experience levels, learning styles, and language needs while maintaining consistent performance standards.
- Collaborate with plant leadership to develop, update, and maintain work instructions, one-point lessons, job aids, and other production training materials.
- Under the direction of the Director of Safety, teach and reinforce safe work practices, required personal protective equipment, role-appropriate Lockout/Tagout procedures and awareness, Occupational Safety and Health Administration requirements, Good Manufacturing Practices, Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points principles, allergen controls, and food safety practices and expectations.
- Observe work behaviors, correct unsafe practices immediately, and report or escalate hazards and safety concerns through appropriate channels.
- Ensure trainees understand equipment-specific hazards, required inspections, and the proper response to abnormal or unsafe conditions.
- Support new-employee onboarding, production line startups, product changeovers, and implementation of new equipment, processes, or work methods.
- Spend most of the workday on the production floor observing operators and providing immediate coaching to improve safety, quality, efficiency, and consistency.
- Partner with Maintenance during equipment training and help employees distinguish routine operator adjustments from conditions requiring maintenance support.
- Reinforce standardized best practices that reduce startup and changeover downtime, prevent operator errors, minimize waste, and improve reliability.
- Participate in problem-solving, root cause analysis, and continuous improvement activities that strengthen workforce capability and operating performance.
- Provide production support during staffing shortages when assigned, without compromising essential training responsibilities, and perform other duties as assigned.
- Some college or higher learning is preferred.
- Food manufacturing or packaging experience is preferred.
- Previous experience training, mentoring, or qualifying manufacturing employees is preferred.
- Train-the-Trainer certification or equivalent instructor development experience is preferred.
- Experience with standard work and/or root cause analysis is preferred.
- Bilingual English/Spanish communication skills are preferred.
About the company
Catania Oils manufactures edible and specialty oils for bulk, private label, and branded products to foodservice, manufacturers, and retailers. It offers olive oils, vegetable oils, and specialty oils (avocado, almond, coconut, MCT) in conventional, organic, and Non-GMO options, sourcing from more than 30 countries. In-house QA testing by AOCS-certified chemists verifies purity and authenticity, and packaging ranges from small bottles to bulk tank wagons, with a strong private-label program for custom blends and packaging. The goal is to provide reliable, high-quality oil ingredients and private-label solutions while preserving the Basile family heritage.
Company Size
51-200
Company Stage
N/A
Total Funding
N/A
Headquarters
Ayer, Massachusetts
Founded
1900
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Catania launched Liquid Butter Alternative in 2026, expanding into dairy-free foodservice applications.
- The AB 660 packaging change for March 2026 shows regulatory readiness and execution discipline.
- Boston Business Journal coverage in May 2025 signals regional brand strength and employer visibility.
What critics are saying
- Commodity oil pricing and private-label compression keep margins exposed to retailer bargaining power.
- Pollo Tropical's 2025 Supplier of the Year win increases dependence on restaurant-channel concentration.
- No visible national-scale moat blocks larger ingredient players from copying Catania's butter alternative.
What makes Catania Oils unique
- Fourth-generation Basile family control gives Catania Oils unusual continuity and operational memory.
- Its Ayer, Massachusetts facility supports private-label, bulk, and foodservice oils under one roof.
- The 2026 Liquid Butter Alternative broadens Catania beyond commodity oils into higher-margin formulations.
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Benefits
Hybrid Work Options
Company News
Catania Oils puts the squeeze on traditional oil packaging. New private label and retail offering brings squeeze-bottle convenience to Catania's top selling cooking oils Agriculture Industry Today is looking at how people actually cook and giving retailers a new way to modernize their private brand oil offerings with a format that combines everyday convenience and a distinctive shelf look." - Joseph Basile, President Catania Oils AYER, MA, UNITED STATES, October 6, 2026 / EINPresswire.com / - Catania Oils, one of the Northeast's largest processors and packagers of plant-based oils, is introducing a new squeeze bottle offering for private brand and retail programs, bringing an easier, more controlled way to cook with familiar oils. As squeeze bottles gain a broader presence in the cooking oil aisle, Catania's offering gives retailers a way to bring the format to their own brands across a portfolio of cooking oils. The lineup combines the convenience of controlled dispensing with the flexibility to build a coordinated private brand assortment around a range of everyday cooking needs. Catania's new bottles were designed specifically for cooking oil and are blow-molded on site at the company's Massachusetts headquarters, giving Catania greater control over bottle look, feel, and shelf presentation. The twist-top cap helps consumers control the amount and placement of oil, from a light drizzle over a salad to a fuller stream to quickly coat a pan for sautéing. "This new format goes beyond putting our oil in a different package," noted Joseph Basile, President of Catania Oils. "It's about looking at how people actually cook and giving retailers a new way to modernize their private brand oil offerings with a format that combines everyday convenience and a distinctive look on the shelf." Catania's offering gives retailers a way to bring squeeze-bottle convenience to a broader private brand oil assortment of everyday cooking oils. Available in 500 mL and 750 mL sizes, the bottles are green for specialty oils such as classic olive oil, extra virgin olive oil, and avocado oil, and clear for oils such as vegetable, corn, and canola. Generous label space accommodates different brands, price points, and merchandising strategies. For consumers who transfer cooking oil into smaller dispensers, Catania's packaging eliminates that extra step. The bottle keeps the convenience of a dispenser in the original package, making oil easier to aim and control while cooking, with less mess to clean up. On-site bottle production and oil packing at Catania's Ayer, Massachusetts, facility also give retailers greater flexibility. Retailers can introduce the format without relying solely on imported finished goods inventory, helping private brand teams test the format and replenish closer to actual demand. About Catania Oils Catania Oils is a privately held fourth generation family business that expanded from its modest roots in the early 1900's to a multi-million-dollar supplier of quality oils for bulk, retail, food service and private label customers. The 400,000 square-foot operation located in Ayer, Massachusetts is one of the largest indoor bulk oil processing facilities in the country and combines the latest automation technology with efficient processes and warehouse space to ensure a fair price for the high-quality oils it produces. The company's tagline, Authenticity in Every Drop, is supported by an in-house laboratory that tests the purity of each shipment. For more information visit www.cataniaoils.com Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. Agriculture Industry Today do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
Catania Oils recognized with Brandon Hall Group(TM) HCM Excellence Award(R) for Best Use of AI for Learning. September 3, 2026 Tammy Valdez's award-winning Sales Skill Lab prepares sales representatives through AI-simulated customer conversations. Catania Oils, a premier processor and packager of plant-based oils in the Northeast, has been recognized with a Brandon Hall Group(TM) Silver HCM Excellence Award(R) in the Best Use of AI for Learning category for its Sales Skill Lab program. The HCM Excellence Awards(R) recognize organizations that successfully develop and deploy programs, strategies, technologies, and solutions that deliver measurable business results and advance excellence in Human Capital Management. "Every year, the HCM Excellence Awards remind us that innovation is ultimately about impact," says Rachel Cooke, COO of Brandon Hall Group(TM) and HCM Excellence Awards(R) Program Leader. "The organizations recognized this year have demonstrated that great HR and learning strategies don't just improve programs, they strengthen organizations, empower people and deliver measurable business results. We are honored to celebrate their achievements." The Sales Skill Lab was created by Tammy Valdez, Training and Development Manager at Catania Oils, as a training tool for the Sales team to rehearse realistic customer conversations. The simulation places sales representatives in scenarios where they must interpret customer needs, respond to objections, and move the conversation forward without scripts or prompts. Each conversation is followed by immediate, structured coaching feedback. The Sales team reported early improvements in efficiency and skill development following the launch of the pilot program. The Sales Skill Lab is part of an enterprise-wide training initiative launched at Catania Oils in 2025 to improve and standardize new-hire onboarding, while also investing in AI as a broader innovation strategy. Under the guidance of Heather DelCarpini, Director of Marketing & AI Enablement, Catania Oils has embraced human-centered AI adoption - an implementation strategy designed to empower employees through technology. To date, Catania Oils has built more than 200 AI resources, including custom GPTs, AI projects, agents, and AI skills and plugins for use across the business. "At Catania Oils, we believe artificial intelligence should empower employees and help them work more effectively across our business," notes DelCarpini. "Thanks to the innovation and enthusiasm of employees like Tammy, our 125-year-old family business can offer a practical example for companies looking to equip their teams with useful technology. Congratulations to Tammy for creating a thoughtful, impactful program. We are proud to recognize her work and look forward to what comes next." About Catania Oils Catania Oils is a privately held fourth generation family business that expanded from its modest roots in the early 1900's to a multi-million-dollar supplier of quality oils for bulk, retail, food service and private label customers. The 250,000 square-foot operation located in Ayer, Massachusetts is one of the largest indoor bulk oil processing facilities in the country and combines the latest automation technology with efficient processes and warehouse space to ensure a fair price for the high-quality oils it produces. The company's tagline, Authenticity in Every Drop, is supported by an in-house laboratory that tests the purity of each shipment. For more information visit www.cataniaoils.com About Brandon Hall Group(TM) Brandon Hall Group(TM) is the Workforce Excellence Intelligence company. For more than 30 years, we have helped organizations transform workforce performance into measurable business results. We combine independent research, proven practices from award-winning organizations, benchmarking, strategic advisory, and the collective intelligence of a global executive community to help leaders make better decisions with greater confidence. Our Workforce Excellence Intelligence is built on evidence, not opinion. By continuously studying leadership, learning, talent, human resources, artificial intelligence, and the future of work, we identify what drives exceptional organizational performance - and translate those insights into practical frameworks, benchmarks, and guidance that organizations can apply immediately. More than 10,000 organizations worldwide - including many of the world's leading employers and Human Capital Management solution providers - have engaged with Brandon Hall Group through our research, advisory services, Excellence Councils, Institute, certifications, and the globally recognized HCM Excellence Awards(R). Together, they create one of the industry's richest ecosystems of workforce knowledge, best practices, and proven results.Our purpose is to make Workforce Excellence achievable for every organization and establish it as the global standard for organizational success.