Karthik Ulagappan, 34
Production Control & Industrial Engineering ManagerBridgestone Americas, LaVergne Plant
Karthik Ulagappan began working for Bridgestone Americas in 2008 after looking for “growth opportunity with a global company.”
Working at the tiremaker’s LaVergne, Tenn., manufacturing facility, Ulagappan manages the PC/IE team to ensure the daily metrics are met, develops management control systems and works with the leadership team to improve short and long-term strategies.
Ulagappan enjoys Bridgestone’s support of a continuous improvement culture, an ideal that he strives for throughout his career. The thought of constant progress gave him the ability to complete an expansion plan at Bridgestone’s Warren County facility to increase capacity by 11%. Ulagappan was able to see the project through “due to the team’s effort in all aspects of the project,” an endeavor that gave him the confidence to succeed in his career.
