Cost and Estimation Engineer

Job Title

Cost Estimation Engineer – Rubber Rolls Manufacturing

Department

Engineering / Commercial / Costing

Reports To

Engineering Manager / General Manager – Operations

Job Purpose

The Cost Estimation Engineer is responsible for preparing accurate and competitive cost estimates for rubber roll manufacturing projects by evaluating customer specifications, engineering drawings, material requirements, manufacturing processes, tooling, labor, machining, and overhead costs. The role works closely with Sales, Design, Production, Procurement, and Quality teams to ensure profitable quotations while meeting customer requirements.

Key ResponsibilitiesCost Estimation

• Review customer enquiries, RFQs, drawings, technical specifications, and quality requirements.
• Prepare detailed cost estimates for rubber-covered rolls, polyurethane rolls, ebonite rolls, and precision-engineered industrial rolls.
• Estimate costs for new roll manufacturing as well as re-rubberizing, recovering, and repair jobs.
• Calculate material consumption for rubber compounds, metal cores, adhesives, coatings, and consumables.
• Estimate machining, rubber bonding, grinding, grooving, balancing, finishing, inspection, and packaging costs.
• Determine cycle times, machine utilization, labor hours, and production costs.
• Prepare detailed costing sheets, quotation summaries, and pricing recommendations.

Technical Evaluation

• Study customer drawings and specifications to determine manufacturing feasibility.
• Coordinate with Design and Production teams to define manufacturing processes and routing.
• Estimate tooling, mandrels, fixtures, molds, and special equipment requirements.
• Evaluate make-or-buy decisions for outsourced machining, chrome plating, dynamic balancing, and heat treatment.

Commercial Support

• Support the Sales team during technical and commercial discussions with customers.
• Prepare budgetary quotations and final commercial offers.
• Monitor quotation revisions and maintain costing records.
• Compare estimated costs with actual manufacturing costs and recommend corrective actions.

Cost Optimization

• Identify opportunities for material savings and process improvements.
• Participate in value engineering and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Develop standard costing models for frequently manufactured roll types.
• Maintain cost databases for raw materials, purchased items, machining rates, labor, and overheads.

Coordination

• Work closely with:
  • Sales & Marketing
  • Design Engineering
  • Production
  • Procurement
  • Quality Assurance
  • Stores
  • Finance

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Production Engineering, Polymer Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related discipline.
• 3–8 years of experience in costing, estimation, manufacturing engineering, or commercial engineering.
• Experience in rubber roll manufacturing, industrial rollers, rubber lining, or rubber products is preferred.

Technical Skills

• Knowledge of rubber roll manufacturing processes.
• Understanding of rubber compounding and bonding techniques.
• Knowledge of metal core fabrication and machining processes.
• Familiarity with CNC turning, grinding, dynamic balancing, grooving, and surface finishing.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings, GD&T, and customer specifications.
• Knowledge of costing principles, BOM preparation, routing, and standard costing.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel for cost analysis and pricing models.
• Experience with ERP systems (SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics, or similar).
• Familiarity with CAD software (AutoCAD, SolidWorks, or similar) is an advantage.

Behavioral Competencies

• Strong analytical and numerical skills.
• Attention to detail and accuracy.
• Commercial awareness and business acumen.
• Effective communication and negotiation skills.
• Problem-solving and decision-making ability.
• Ability to work under tight quotation deadlines.
• Teamwork and cross-functional collaboration.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Accuracy of cost estimates.
• RFQ response time.
• Cost variance between estimated and actual manufacturing costs.
• Quotation turnaround time.
• Quote conversion rate.
• Contribution to cost reduction initiatives.
• Customer satisfaction with technical and commercial support.
• Timely completion of cost analyses and reports.

Working Conditions

• Office-based role with regular visits to the manufacturing shop floor.
• Interaction with customers, suppliers, and cross-functional teams.
• Occasional travel for customer visits, technical discussions, or supplier evaluations.

Preferred Industry Experience

• Rubber Roll Manufacturing
• Polyurethane Roll Manufacturing
• Printing Rolls
• Steel & Metal Processing Rolls
• Textile Rolls
• Paper Mill Rolls
• Conveyor & Industrial Rollers
• Rubber Engineering Products