2017 Editorial Advisory Board: Andrew Garstkiewicz

Andrew Garstkiewicz is an advanced plastics engineer for GE Appliances, a Haier company, in Louisville, Kentucky. He has found the designer and builder of home appliances to be more than just a place to work, but also a place of opportunity, a place to grow and a place to develop his career, which is exactly what he has done over his 16 years at the company.

He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida in materials science and engineering with a specialization in polymeric materials, and a master’s degree in business administration from Bellarmine University. He is certified as a Six Sigma Greenbelt, and RJG Master Molder I and Master Molder II. 

Andrew began his GE career in 2000 as a purchased material quality engineer for its Consumer and Industrial division, focused primarily on assuring that suppliers adhered to strict quality standards as well as maintaining delivery schedules. In 2007, he became an advanced manufacturing engineer (AME) for GE Industrial Solutions with responsibility for finding cost savings opportunities throughout the company’s many facilities. Responsibilities grew to include guiding plastic part design with classes conducted around the world, injection and compression tool procurement, plastic-part vendor surveying and selection, and root-cause analysis of plastics failures for quality excursions. A couple of years later he was promoted to lead AME and supported three localization programs in China that included tooling procurement and approvals, test equipment specification and implementation, assembly line control-level evaluations, assembly line design and layout, and product launch. He moved to GE Lighting in 2012 to oversee a large localization program set up to bring production back to North America, then in 2014 became senior AME at GE Energy Management, charged with plastics design-for-manufacturing consulting across global teams, global plastics tool procurement and qualification, and enhancing productivity and efficiency through lean principles and scientific molding principles.

Now, as an advanced plastics engineer for GE Appliances, Andrew is heavily focused on flow simulation for part, process and mold validation, and driving closer tool vendor involvement to build better molds. He believes his extensive plastics background adds value to every project he takes on, and he says he does not shy away from trying something new. To his new MMT EAB position, Andrew brings a passion for manufacturing and specific expertise in lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, product development, root-cause analysis and injection molding. He is eager to offer insight on software, equipment and culture, which are important areas of interest for our moldmaking community.