Full-Time
Manufacturing Operator
ZOLTEK
501-1,000 employees
Produces commercial-grade carbon fiber at scale
Compensation Overview
$17/hr
St Charles, MO, USA
In Person
 Manufacturing & Production Operations (1) |
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- A high school diploma or GED is required.
- One year or more of experience in manufacturing or a factory environment is strongly desired.
- Ability to perform simple mathematical calculations, read and interpret documents, follow procedures, document information, and communicate effectively with shift leads and co-workers.
- Ability to troubleshoot and take effective corrective action to resolve problems.
- Good finger and manual dexterity.
- Ability to lift, push, and pull 50 or more pounds.
- Ability to tolerate heat and wear a dust mask and gloves as needed.
- Ability to tolerate itchy material.
- Ability to ascend and descend a flight of stairs several times per day.
- Ability to stand, walk, bend, squat, kneel, reach, and pull for extended periods.
- Follow procedures to ensure the safety, quality, and production of products.
- Inspect the size and quality of processed material to ensure customer specifications are met.
- Remove boxes weighing up to 50 pounds from the processing line, attach labels, and complete paperwork for inventory control.
- Remove and package samples for Quality Control.
- Inspect equipment and products for potential problems and immediately report them to the supervisor.
- Maintain equipment and work areas in a clean condition free of hazardous obstacles.
- Wear required personal protective equipment and follow safety procedures for the work area.
- Communicate with team members, supervisors, and co-workers.
- Document information and complete required paperwork.
- Operate batch, scrim coating, chopping, milling, and textile machinery as cross-trained.
- Enter information into a programmable logic control panel keypad, read and document temperatures, inspect batch interiors, load and unload carbonization furnaces, and wind carbon fiber fabrics and yarns.
- Coat carbonized material with flame-retardant epoxy, ensure it is fully coated and dried, and wind finished material onto cardboard cores.
- Feed continuous carbon-fiber strands through a chopper, cut them to customer specifications, and monitor equipment operation.
- Feed fiber into the mill process, monitor the mill, and inspect processed material quality.
- Operate stretch-breaking, roving, winding, and knitting machines according to the Operating Procedure Manual.
- Maintain a safe and ethical work environment and work as a team member.
- One year or more of experience in manufacturing or a factory environment.
Zoltek is a carbon-fiber producer that grew from an industrial equipment firm into a major supplier of affordable, commercial-grade carbon fiber. It produces carbon fiber by converting precursor materials (including acrylic fiber) into strong, lightweight fibers used in composites for various industries. The company differentiates itself through a strategy of large-scale, cost-focused production and by securing key raw materials and manufacturing capabilities (notably via the Magyar Viscosa acquisition) to lower prices. It later joined Toray Industries, becoming part of a global, full-spectrum carbon-fiber business with broader reach. Zoltek’s goal is to provide affordable carbon fiber at industrial scale to enable widespread use in construction, automotive, aerospace, and other applications.
Company Size
501-1,000
Company Stage
N/A
Total Funding
N/A
Headquarters
El Muey, Mexico
Founded
1975
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Toray plans new Zoltek capacity in Korea for 2H 2026 and USA in 1H 2027.
- June 2026 Toray guidance expects Zoltek industrial utilization gains and aerospace-related growth.
- David Purcell became CEO in April 2025, sharpening execution after years under founder succession.
What critics are saying
- Toray cut ZOLTEK sales and production targets in FY2025, signaling demand weakness.
- Wind-turbine blade timing shifts and China flame-resistant fiber declines hit FY2026 results.
- If structural reforms fail by 2027, Toray can downsize Zoltek into a low-priority asset.
What makes ZOLTEK unique
- Industrial-grade large-tow carbon fiber at lower cost than aerospace-focused peers.
- Toray rebuilt Zoltek as a global wind, automotive, and industrial materials platform.
- Zoltek controls precursor integration through Toray’s carbon fiber composite materials network.
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Benefits
Health Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
Disability Insurance
Health Savings Account/Flexible Spending Account
Paid Vacation
Paid Holidays
Tuition Reimbursement
Employee Assistance Program
Optional Life Insurance
401(k) Retirement Plan
Paid Sick Leave
Growth & Insights and Company News
6 month growth
↑ 9%1 year growth
↑ 9%2 year growth
↑ 9%Mr. Purcell, who has recently served as COO, joined Zoltek over 17 years ago to work for the company's founder and CEO, Mr. Zsolt Rumy.
In 2008, Toray acquired Zoltek Corporation of the United States, further consolidating its leading position in the carbon fiber market.
In 2014, Zoltek was acquired by Toray Industries of Japan, who at the time was the world's largest aerospace carbon fiber producer.
St. Louis, Missouri, USA, Dec. 06, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Zoltek Corporation, the largest global manufacturer of industrial grade carbon fiber, has recently celebrated the 80th birthday of its founder, Zsolt Rumy. Born in December 1942 in Budapest, Hungary, Mr. Rumy was a carbon fiber industry pioneer that ultimately changed the carbon fiber world. He created the first industrial-grade carbon fiber made to compete against other common building materials, and created Zoltek Corporation to drive the commercialization of carbon fibers
Zoltek Zrt, its division located in Nyergesújfalu, Hungary, has been named the winner of the Company of the Year Award from FIGYELO.