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Nikolay Nedev

Nikolay Nedev

I transform operational chaos into sustainable performanceand develop the leaders who multiply it.

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$0M
Revenue Growth Unlocked
0M
Hours Injury-Free
0+
Employees Led
0
Sites P&L Leadership
Scale Fast Integrate Acquisitions Turn Around Distressed Ops
Nikolay Nedev - Operations Executive 20+ Years Experience

I see potential that others miss

Twenty years ago, I walked onto my first factory floor as a young graduate engineer. Today, I've led 550+ employees across six manufacturing sites, delivered $24M in revenue growth, and achieved 3.1 million work hours without a recordable injury.

What sets me apart: Most operations leaders optimize processes. I optimize people AND processes. My teams consistently outperform because I invest in developing leaders, not just managing metrics.

When I consolidated three Mölnlycke plants into two during the pandemic, my team exceeded safety stock targets by 70% — while knowing their own jobs were ending.

That's what trust and authentic leadership produce.

The thread connecting it all: I see potential that others miss — in broken operations, in struggling teams, and in leaders who haven't yet found their voice. Then I build the systems and culture that unlock it.

Value Creation Track Record

Measurable results across Fortune 500 and PE-backed companies

$24M
Revenue Growth Unlocked
PDC Machines — 1 Year
Removed the bottlenecks
everyone else accepted
$2.3M
Inventory Reduction
Henry Schein — 180 Days
Post-acquisition discipline,
not just cost cutting
3.1M
Hours TRIR-Free
Caterpillar — World-Class Safety
550 people went home safe every day
70%
Safety Stock Overachievement
Mölnlycke — Plant Consolidation
Team outperformed knowing
their jobs were ending
80%
Warranty Cost Reduction
Caterpillar — In-Process Controls
Quality at the source,
not inspection at the end
6 Sites
Multi-Site P&L Leadership
Transaxle — VP Operations
One vision across five states

Areas of Expertise

Deep experience across operational disciplines

PE Value Creation

Turnarounds & Restructuring

M&A Integration

Multi-Site Operations

Greenfield Startups

Lean / Six Sigma

Supply Chain / SIOP

ISO

ISO 13485 / FDA / cGMP

Leadership Development

Cross-Border Manufacturing

P&L Management

Data-Driven Analytics

Education & Credentials

MS, Operations Research

Georgia Institute of Technology

MBA, International Business

Texas A&M International University

BS, Industrial Engineering

Georgia Institute of Technology

Executive M&A Program

Columbia Business School

Six Sigma Black Belt

Certified Practitioner

Industries

Medical Devices
Automotive
Industrial Equipment
Hydrogen / Clean Energy
Remanufacturing

Career Journey

20+ years of progressive leadership across industries

Director of Operations

US Endodontics (Henry Schein)
2023 – Present
Leading post-acquisition integration. Reduced inventory by $2.3M in 180 days. Full P&L for medical device manufacturing.
Private medical device manufacturer acquired by Henry Schein; full P&L responsibility
  • Appointed to lead post-acquisition integration into Henry Schein's global manufacturing network
  • Stabilized operations within 180 days post-acquisition, strengthening QMS and establishing operational discipline
  • Reduced WIP and inventory by $2.3M through organizational redesign and lean execution
  • Delivered 26% scrap reduction and improved on-time delivery to 98%+ while supporting 12% YoY revenue growth

Operations Consultant / Interim Executive

Nugait Solutions
2022 – 2023
Crisis management for automotive OEMs. Reduced BMW supplier backorders by 47%. Stabilized Vitesco through production controls.
Independent consulting serving automotive OEMs and Tier-1 suppliers in distress
  • Provided crisis management and operations stabilization for distressed manufacturing operations
  • Stabilized Vitesco (Tier-1 supplier) through robust production controls and material flow tracking
  • Reduced BMW Tier-1 supplier backorders by 47% through PFEP deployment and WIP optimization

Director of Manufacturing

PDC Machines (PE-Backed)
2022
Unlocked $24M revenue growth. Increased throughput 60% despite supply chain crisis. Hydrogen systems manufacturing.
PE-backed hydrogen systems manufacturer; 4 facilities, 150+ employees, high-growth environment
  • Unlocked $24M YoY revenue growth by restructuring manufacturing organization and introducing team-lead system
  • Increased throughput by 60% while navigating severe global supply chain constraints
  • Improved labor efficiency by 32% in six months through standard work, coaching, and CI deployment
  • Built high-performing team that delivered record-breaking production during pandemic challenges

Vice President of Operations

Transaxle (PE-Backed)
2020 – 2021
6-site P&L leadership. Transformed manufacturing model, achieved 14% productivity improvement.
PE-backed remanufacturer; 6 sites across 5 states, 160+ employees
  • Executive accountability for operations, maintenance, EHS, warehousing, and quality across 6 manufacturing sites
  • Transformed remanufacturing from cell-based to production-line, improving efficiency 6% in 2 months
  • Built CI-driven culture delivering 14% annual productivity and capacity improvements
  • Sponsored facility expansions increasing production capacity by 20%

Director of Manufacturing

Mölnlycke Health Care
2019 – 2020
Head of U.S. Manufacturing. Consolidated 3 plants to 2 during COVID. Team exceeded targets by 70%.
Swedish medical device company; Head of U.S. Manufacturing, 3 facilities, 200+ employees
  • Full P&L accountability for U.S. manufacturing operations supporting $300M+ in annual revenue
  • Consolidated 3 plants into 2 during COVID-19 with minimal disruption; overachieved safety stock by 70%
  • Negotiated severance packages for 100% of affected employees, maintaining team engagement throughout closure
  • Delivered $520K annual savings through materials cost reduction and waste elimination

Plant Manager

Medline Industries
2017 – 2019
Led greenfield startup. Built 300+ employee organization. Full production achieved in 6 months.
Greenfield startup; 250K sq. ft. medical device manufacturing & distribution, 300+ employees
  • Led complete greenfield plant startup: site selection through full production ramp-up in six months
  • Recruited and developed organization of 300+ employees; established collaborative culture from day one
  • Designed innovative warehouse layout increasing storage capacity by 80%; achieved 94% inventory accuracy

Operations Manager → Facilities Engineering Manager

Caterpillar Inc.
2005 – 2017
12-year career with 5 promotions. Led 550+ employees. Achieved 3.1M hours injury-free. International assignment in Mexico.
12-year career: 5 promotions, international assignment, scope from engineer to 550+ employee P&L
  • OPERATIONS MANAGER / FACILITIES ENGINEERING MANAGER (2011-2017):
  • Led 550+ employees; $42M OPEX, $13M CAPEX; achieved 3.1M hours TRIR-free
  • Executed two US-to-Mexico product line transitions ($20M, $25M) without supply disruption
  • Reduced warranty costs up to 80% through in-process quality controls
  • SIX SIGMA BLACK BELT / PROJECT ENGINEER (2005-2011):
  • Delivered $2.2M+ annual savings; NPI improvements added $900K YoY sales
  • Learned Spanish fluently; demonstrated cross-cultural leadership across US and Mexico operations

What People Say

Perspectives from colleagues across my career

"His strong leadership skills, his ability to connect with people at all levels of the company, his strong commitment, his work ethic, his knowledge of manufacturing best practices, his bright mind and his focus on results definitely impressed everyone and made the difference with the challenges of starting up a new facility in the medical device industry."

RC
Raul Carreras
Sr VP of Operations
Medline Industries

"I was impressed with Nikolay's manufacturing expertise and ability to drive change, together with his broader leadership skills. He was very collaborative and nice to work with. I would definitely recommend him as a senior manufacturing leader."

NN
Nir Naor
CFO
Mölnlycke Health Care

"Nikolay is a true gentleman and a fantastic leader. He joined at a time of extensive growth and he was able to setup a team that met and surpassed production expectations in the middle of a Global Supply Chain crisis. Any company will be lucky to have Nikolay."

FR
Freddy Reyes Falc
VP of Engineering
PDC Machines

"I found him to be a passionate leader, not hesitant to search for and implement solutions for the improvement of our drivetrain remanufacturing production process. His positive energy shined through, as he mentored his team, always genuine, and willing to be hands on with them."

DG
David Gordon
CFO
Transaxle

"Nikolay is one of the finest gentlemen I've had the pleasure to report to in my 30+ year career. I offer my highest recommendation on his skills as a leader and a motivator of people. His job knowledge in manufacturing is second to none."

CC
Clifford Chuba
Logistics Manager
PDC Machines

"Few people have the opportunity to work with a director who is also a coach and mentor. Nikolay was able to build a very strong team that supported the growth of our company. We accomplished record breaking production goals, despite worldwide supply issues threatening to challenge our progress."

MB
Michelle Bondi
Operations Supervisor
PDC Machines

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Email

nicknedev1@gmail.com
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LinkedIn

linkedin.com/in/nikolay-nedev1

Location

Austin, TX
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