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Gehl Food & Beverage

Aseptic food and beverage manufacturing

Downline Operator

Full-TimeUpdated on 10/23/2026
$19.50 - $28.68/hr
Entry
Lathrop, CA, USA
In Person
Manufacturing & Production OperationsMachine & Process Operation

About the job

Requirements
  • Must possess effective oral and listening skills to communicate with team members, management, and customers.
  • Must be able to read and interpret logs and operational instructions.
  • Must have legible handwriting and writing capabilities to maintain documentation and recordkeeping.
  • Must maintain attention to detail and sustained concentration to ensure accuracy, avoid distractions, and prevent process deviations.
  • Must have mathematical skills to convert between units of measure, such as gallons to pounds and percentages to batch quantities.
Responsibilities
  • Follow safety, food safety, and Good Manufacturing Practices requirements, including Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations, company policies, and proper use of personal protective equipment around machinery and product.
  • Train on required Downline systems under direct supervision and assist with basic machine operations while learning to operate equipment according to standard operating procedures and manufacturer guidelines.
  • Support startup, operation, and shutdown activities; perform checks on pressures, flows, temperatures, and other parameters as directed.
  • Assist with quality and package integrity inspections by performing visual checks, verifying materials, and confirming codes match work orders.
  • Maintain accurate and legible production data, observations, and downtime documentation in a timely manner.
  • Follow proper material handling and first-in, first-out procedures; assist with staging, verifying, and organizing production materials.
  • Maintain cleanliness and support 5S standards to ensure an organized and compliant work area.
  • Immediately report equipment issues, irregularities, alarms, or parameter deviations to a supervisor.
  • Assist with basic Autonomous Maintenance tasks, including cleaning, inspection, and lubrication, as directed.
  • Develop technical knowledge of process flow, system functions, and regulatory requirements to progress toward Downline operator qualification.
  • Follow instructions, stay engaged, ask questions, and collaborate respectfully with team members.
  • Perform other duties as assigned.

About the company

Gehl Food & Beverage manufactures food and beverage products in the United States using aseptic processing, which makes shelf-stable products that don’t require refrigeration. The company provides end-to-end services—from research and development to category management and validated packaging—along with manufacturing contracts for national brands, foodservice operators, retailers, and private-label programs. Its products are distributed widely across the U.S. through a high-efficiency distribution network, supported by a recently expanded Germantown, WI facility and new Colleton County operations with a $46 million investment and 106 jobs. Gehl aims to help customers bring products to market quickly and cost-effectively while expanding its manufacturing footprint, combining development-to-market services with large-scale aseptic production and broad multi-channel distribution.

Company Size

201-500

Company Stage

N/A

Total Funding

N/A

Headquarters

Village of Germantown, Wisconsin

Founded

1896

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Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • August 5, 2026: Gehl finished its Germantown expansion, adding manufacturing capacity.
  • Gehl’s Colleton County launch brought $46 million investment and 106 new jobs.
  • August 25, 2025: Gehl refinanced and acquired Crescent Dairy, expanding scale.

What critics are saying

  • Wind Point’s sale process, open since September 2023, distracts management and customers.
  • Crescent Dairy integration stretches through 2026, risking outages, cost overruns, and quality escapes.
  • High capital intensity makes future expansion dependent on lender appetite and margin discipline.

What makes Gehl Food & Beverage unique

  • Gehl’s aseptic lines make shelf-stable dairy and beverages for national brands.
  • Its Germantown and Colleton County plants provide validated, end-to-end manufacturing capacity.
  • Gehl sells through nearly every U.S. retail channel, including convenience and foodservice.

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Benefits

  • Health Insurance
  • Dental Insurance
  • Vision Insurance
  • 401(k) Company Match
  • Paid Vacation
  • Paid Holidays
  • Health Savings Account/Flexible Spending Account
  • Tuition Reimbursement
  • Employee Referral Bonus
  • Employee Discounts

Growth & Insights and Company News

6 month growth

5%

1 year growth

5%

2 year growth

5%
WP Partners
Oct 10th, 2023
Companies | Portfolio | Wind Point Partners

Acquired: January 2002Divested: June 2004