In many manufacturing organizations, the most experienced people on the floor—and often in leadership—are the ones closest to retirement. These are your master technicians, plant managers, engineers, and operations leaders who’ve seen it all. They know the systems inside and out, have lived through downturns and expansions, and have developed the kind of institutional knowledge you can’t Google.

So here’s the big question: Are you ready for what happens when they walk out the door?

If your answer is “not quite,” you’re not alone. But with the manufacturing workforce aging and the skilled labor shortage growing, it’s more critical than ever to get ahead of the curve with strategic succession planning.

Why Succession Planning in Manufacturing Can’t Wait

  • The Numbers Are Stark: According to the U.S. Census Bureau, nearly 25% of the manufacturing workforce is over the age of 55. That means a wave of retirements is coming—and fast.

  • Skilled Labor Isn’t Easily Replaced: Many of these roles require years of hands-on experience, technical expertise, and certifications. You can’t simply hire someone off the street and expect a smooth handoff.

  • Knowledge Loss is Costly: When top talent retires without passing on their knowledge, companies face production disruptions, safety risks, and costly onboarding delays for replacements.

What Succession Planning Should Look Like

1. Identify Critical Roles & Talent
Start by mapping out which roles are most essential to operations and which team members are likely to retire in the next 1–5 years. Don’t just focus on titles—look at who holds institutional memory, trains others, and drives performance.

2. Develop Internal Pipelines
Look for high-potential employees who could step into those roles. Then, create development plans that include:

  • Cross-training

  • Leadership coaching

  • Project ownership

  • Stretch assignments

3. Document the Undocumented
Encourage retiring employees to document processes, tribal knowledge, and best practices. Pair them with successors in mentoring relationships to transfer that knowledge in real time.

4. Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late
Succession planning isn’t a one-time event. It’s a continuous process. Start early so there’s time for training, feedback, and course correction.

How This Impacts Hiring

If you don’t have a deep internal bench, you’ll need to look externally. That’s where strategic hiring becomes essential—especially for hard-to-fill roles like:

  • Maintenance Managers

  • Controls Engineers

  • Plant Supervisors

  • Tool & Die Makers

  • Quality Assurance Leaders

Partnering with a recruiting firm that understands the manufacturing space can help you source talent who not only have the right experience, but the long-term leadership potential you’re looking for.

Succession planning isn’t just about retirement—it’s about resilience. It ensures that when change comes (and it always does), your organization can continue to operate, compete, and grow.

At Raymond Search Group, we specialize in helping manufacturers build strong leadership pipelines—through both internal development and strategic external hires. If you’re ready to plan for the future, we’re here to help.