Purchasing Agent

The Purchasing Agent will secure high-volume copper and aluminum rod along with isolations and packaging to maintain continuous manufacturing operations at our magnet wire facility. This high-visibility role reports directly to the President. The ideal candidate balances daily procurement operations with strategic cost-savings analysis, commodity market hedging, and active vendor diversification.

*Key Responsibilities*

Strategic Financial Partnership

• Executive Collaboration: Meet regularly with the President and Plant Manager to review total procurement spend, forecast market pricing, and map out variance to budget.
• Cost-Savings Initiatives: Identify, track, and report on cost-reduction goals through aggressive tier-pricing negotiations and freight optimization.
• Margin Protection: Collaborate with leadership to execute risk-mitigation strategies, utilizing financial hedging and forward contracts to manage price volatility.

Vendor Sourcing & Diversification

• Supplier Shopping: Scout, screen, and qualify new global and domestic suppliers to minimize supply chain dependency on single-source vendors.
• Competitive Bidding: Issue Requests for Proposals (RFPs) and benchmark prospective vendors against current suppliers on quality, pricing structures, and lead times.

Commodity Procurement & Operations

• High-Volume Purchasing: Place bulk orders for aluminum and copper rod insulations and packaging 
• Market Tracking: Analyze the London Metal Exchange (LME) and COMEX spot markets daily to time large purchases and manage premiums.
• Inventory Maximization: Coordinate delivery schedules to protect manufacturing workflows while minimizing warehouse holding costs.

*Position Requirements*

• Education: Bachelor’s degree preferred in Supply Chain, Business, Finance, Engineering, or a related field.
• Experience: 4+ years of industrial procurement experience, with an absolute requirement for direct raw metals experience (copper or aluminum preferred).
• Technical Acumen: Familiarity with manufacturing standards, including ASTM copper specifications, and a solid command of ERP platforms (like SAP or Oracle).
• Communication Skills: Strong executive presence and reporting skills to seamlessly present financial data and logistics updates to company ownership.

Alconex Specialty Products, Inc. was founded in 1987 in Fort Wayne, Indiana, beginning as a small aluminum magnet wire supplier serving the dry-type transformer industry. Over the years, the company has expanded its capabilities, including copper magnet wire product development, and internal insulation fabrication through its sister company Pro-Slitters, Inc. in 2007. Alconex has also innovated by developing performance-enhancing electrical insulation products like ALCONEX GOLD® in 2010 for dry-type transformers and motors and PF-8 in 2019 for fluid-filled power and distribution applications.

In 2017, Alconex opened a 100,000-square-foot facility—now its global headquarters—housing extensive manufacturing lines for magnet wire, extrusions, buss bar, and tubing products. Today, Alconex is a leading U.S.-based supplier across dry-type and fluid-filled transformers, motors, generators, and separators, known worldwide for high-quality products, customer-focused solutions, and ongoing innovation.

In 2026, Alconex will finish a 40,000-square-foot facility expansion project that will lead a charge for continued growth and expansion of the company, continuing to employ the citizens of Fort Wayne, Indiana and the surrounding communities.