Company Information
Ricochet is an industry leading manufacturer of sophisticated, high-tech Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) that focuses on protection, performance, and comfort. Ricochet has been headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for over 20 years, with all manufacturing and operations located in a single master facility.
In addition to serving the United States Military, Ricochet serves customers in multiple sectors of public safety by providing custom engineered PPE including EMS gear for the Philadelphia and Honolulu Fire Departments, Technical Rescue gear to all FDNY Rescue and Squad companies, and structural/turnout gear to multiple Fire Departments throughout the United States and beyond. Ricochet is a long-standing member of FEMSA. For more information, visit ricochet-gear.com.
Job Summary
The Production Supervisor is responsible for managing daily production activities and leading the cut, bundle, and sewing operations supporting the manufacturing of firefighter turnout gear and protective apparel. This position ensures production schedules are met while maintaining high standards for safety, quality, productivity, and on-time delivery.
Key Responsibilities
- Supervise and lead production employees, team leads, cutters, bundlers, and sewing operators.
- Plan daily staffing and assign employees based on skills, training, and production priorities.
- Monitor production flow, productivity, and performance against established goals and KPIs.
- Oversee cutting and bundling activities to ensure materials, labels, travelers, patterns, and specifications are accurate.
- Ensure production meets quality requirements and applicable NFPA/PPE standards.
- Work with Quality, Maintenance, Planning, Warehouse, and Engineering to resolve production issues.
- Track productivity, downtime, scrap, quality, and production attainment; communicate results to management.
- Identify opportunities to improve productivity, reduce waste, and optimize workflow.
- Coach employees and address performance, attendance, training, and safety concerns.
- Support onboarding and training of new employees.
- Maintain a safe, clean, and organized production environment in accordance with OSHA and company requirements.
- Complete daily production reports and ensure accurate production data.
- Support ERP, continuous improvement, 5S, and other operational improvement initiatives.
Qualifications
- 3–5+ years of manufacturing experience, preferably in cut-and-sew, textile, apparel, PPE, or protective clothing.
- 2+ years of supervisory or team leadership experience preferred.
- Experience leading teams of approximately 15–25 employees.
- Strong understanding of garment construction, cutting, sewing, and production processes.
- Turnout gear, firefighter PPE, or NFPA manufacturing experience strongly preferred.
- Experience with Lectra, Paragon, Gerber, or similar cutting systems is a plus.
- Experience with ERP systems and production KPIs.
- Strong leadership, communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
- Computer savvy - Microsoft Office Products including Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook
- Bilingual English/Spanish is a plus.
Physical & Working Requirements
- Primarily works on the manufacturing floor.
- Ability to stand and walk for extended periods.
- Ability to lift, push, or pull up to approximately 20–30 lbs.
- Must follow all required safety and PPE procedures.
- Ability to work weekends as needed.
About Us
Proudly Made in the USA
Ricochet is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and has more than 25 years of experience producing sophisticated, high-tech gear for the rigorous and specialized needs of the military, industrial chemical workers and emergency first responders. Ricochet's home office and manufacturing are located in a historic factory building in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, home to a strong workforce of highly experienced and dedicated employees.
Our Experience
Our extensive experience has helped us develop the skills, knowledge, and proven manufacturing techniques to provide the ultimate in Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for emergency first responders, involved in Emergency Medical Services (EMS), technical rescue and fire fighting.
Protecting First Responders
We take our responsibility of protecting Emergency First Responders very seriously. As tough as NFPA standards are, being just good enough to meet NFPA certification is not good enough for us. We engineer clothing that goes above and beyond the requirements of NFPA 1999 (EMS), 1951(Tech Rescue), and 1971 (Structural Firefighting).
Our Service
We create value for our users by offering top-quality protective clothing with extensive options for customization at very competitive prices. From the selection of fabrics to the sealed seams to the type of stitching, every detail is engineered to meet the needs of the wearer for ultimate protection, comfort, and mobility. Ricochet is an ISO 9001:2015 certified facility. We strive to provide industry-leading customer service and delivery times on all of our protective clothing.
Engineered for Comfort + Fit
Designed for greater flexibility, comfort, and performance. Ricochet has developed patterning innovations throughout all of the layers of your gear that work with the dynamics of your body - reducing heat stress, hobbling, and fatigue and providing a greater range of motion. All of our gear is custom-built because proper fit lowers the risk of exhaustion and increases safety.
Quality + Value by Design
Ricochet provides our customers with numerous choices of layered fabric systems, designed for durability, protection, and breathability. We make protective clothing that is comfortable, long-lasting, highly customizable and competitively priced. Check out our Rapid Turnaround line to find custom turnouts built to your specifications (not just pulled from a shelf) and guaranteed to fit right in a matter of weeks, not months.