Kevin Smith
Director of Recruiting
Recruiting Specialties
- Advanced Manufacturing & Automation
- Plastics & Polymer Manufacturing
- Packaging, Containers & Corrugated Materials
- Flexible Packaging & Film Processing
- Metals, Steel & Fabrication
- Automotive Manufacturing & Suppliers
- Aerospace & Precision Manufacturing
- Medical Devices & Regulated Manufacturing
- Chemicals & Specialty Materials
- Injection Molding, Extrusion & Tooling
- Contract & Custom Manufacturing Operations
- Industrial Machinery & Equipment Manufacturing
- Wood & Milling
CONNECT
Fun Fact
He is a huge Baltimore Ravens and Orioles fan.
Favorite Social Activity
Golf.
About Kevin Smith
Kevin Smith is a senior recruiting leader at Blue Signal Search, specializing in industrial and manufacturing recruiting for companies that depend on reliable plant operations, strong engineering teams, and effective leadership. He partners with hiring managers and executive teams to support workforce stability, operational performance, and long-term growth.
Kevin works with manufacturers nationwide to recruit plant leadership, engineering, automation, maintenance, quality, and technical professionals. He has built a particularly strong track record supporting plastics and packaging manufacturing operations, where hiring precision is critical to maintaining uptime, quality, and production efficiency. He understands that hiring decisions in manufacturing directly affect day-to-day operations, safety, and productivity.
Widely recognized for his ability to build strong, high-performing plant teams, Kevin helps manufacturers scale and modernize without disrupting daily operations. He builds teams that work well together on the plant floor, aligning leadership, engineering, and skilled trades to support safe, efficient, and consistent performance.
Search Focus
- Executive & Plant Leadership
(CEO, COO, Chief Manufacturing Officer, Plant Manager, General Manager, Site Leader) - Manufacturing, Engineering & Technical Roles
(Manufacturing, Process, Mechanical, Electrical, Industrial, Chemical Engineering) - Advanced Manufacturing & Automation
(Automation, Controls, Robotics, AI-enabled manufacturing systems) - Tooling, Machinery & Industrial Processing
(Injection Molding, Extrusion, Metals, Packaging, Chemicals) - Maintenance, Reliability & Skilled Trades
(Maintenance Leadership, Reliability Engineers, Industrial Maintenance, Controls, Robotics) - Quality, EHS & Continuous Improvement
(Quality Leadership, Supplier Quality, EHS, Lean, Six Sigma, CI) - Sales, Commercial & Technical Sales
(Sales Leadership, Account Management, Business Development, Sales Engineering) - Supply Chain, Operations & Production Support
(Materials Leadership, Planning, Scheduling, Logistics) - Manufacturing IT, Industry 4.0 & Smart Systems
(MES/ERP, Industrial IT/OT, Manufacturing Data & Analytics)
Recommendations
"I had the pleasure of working with Kevin as a client in the plastics manufacturing space. He takes the time to truly understand both client needs and candidate goals, ensuring the right fit every time. His communication is clear, his process is efficient, and his commitment to quality shows in every interaction."
"Kevin contacted me about a role I never would have considered on my own and helped guide me into an opportunity that changed the course of my career. He was easy to communicate with and took the time to understand my qualifications before making the introduction."
"I had the pleasure of working with Kevin during my job search. He stands out as an exceptional recruiter in engineering and manufacturing. He took time to understand my background, goals, and long-term fit — not just filling a role, but helping place me in a position that became a major step forward in my career."
"My experience partnering with Kevin was exceptional. He was professional, responsive, and determined to find the right candidates for our open positions. His experience in the plastics industry made conversations efficient and productive."
"Kevin has helped fill multiple positions in the plastics industry and consistently brings professionalism and deep technical knowledge to every search. He takes time to understand company culture and adapts quickly as requirements change."
"Kevin has a strong eye for identifying top-tier talent that fits both the role and the company culture. He makes the recruiting process seamless and efficient for both hiring managers and candidates."
"Kevin assisted our team with hiring key maintenance and quality roles. He demonstrated a deep understanding of the talent market and consistently matched strong candidates to the right opportunities."
"What an amazing journey these last few months have been. One conversation with Kevin led to a better opportunity than I could have imagined. He helped me find the right role, supported a major transition for my family, and made a lasting impact on both my career and personal growth."