Function: Finance

A private equity firm needed an interim COO for its recently acquired manufacturing portfolio company in the Southwest U.S. The company faced significant operational strain due to leadership vacancies and increased demand, leading to production delays and growing backlogs.

The departure of the director of operations and other key personnel left the company struggling to keep up with production demands. The CEO was overwhelmed, handling tasks beyond his scope while also focusing on critical product development. The firm needed an interim leader to stabilize operations and alleviate the pressure on the existing team.

BluWave connected the private equity firm within 24 hours with a shortlist of qualified interim COO candidates experienced in assembly, metal fabrication and electronics manufacturing. These candidates were capable of quickly integrating into the company, addressing operational inefficiencies, and supporting the team during the transition.

The interim COO selected from BluWave’s short list quickly identified key operational challenges and implemented solutions to reduce backlogs and improve productivity. This allowed the CEO to focus on product development while ensuring the company’s manufacturing operations remained on track.