Coated and Bonded Abrasive Specialist

Description

SurfacePrep is seeking a highly motivated Coated and Bonded Abrasive Specialist to help drive growth across our coated abrasives portfolio while serving as a trusted technical resource for customers, suppliers, and internal teams. This is an exciting opportunity for someone who combines strong commercial instincts with hands-on technical knowledge and a passion for solving customer challenges. In this role, you will work closely with sales, operations, and supplier partners to identify opportunities, evaluate customer processes, recommend optimized abrasive solutions, and help bring those solutions to life in the field. The ideal candidate is both strategic and action-oriented, with the ability to turn product expertise, application insight, and consultative problem-solving into measurable business results. The candidate is ideally located in Michigan and is open to regional travel, with the ability and willingness to support customer and business needs across Wisconsin, and Illinois, as well.

Key Responsibilities

• Drive profitable growth within assigned product groups by delivering against sales, gross margin, productivity, profitability, and market penetration objectives.
• Partner directly with SurfacePrep sales teams, customers, and supplier representatives to deliver both commercial and technical product expertise across the region.
• Serve as a hands-on technical specialist by evaluating customer manufacturing and finishing processes, identifying opportunities for improvement, and recommending best-fit abrasive solutions.
• Lead or support product trials and testing activities, interpret performance results, and help customers improve efficiency, finish quality, throughput, and total cost of use.
• Identify and develop new business opportunities while expanding strategic accounts through technical consultation, application expertise, and strong market awareness.
• Collaborate with the sales team to identify cross-selling targets, research new customers and market opportunities across the region, and develop strategies to recapture lost business.
• Use CRM, data analytics, and other business tools to analyze customer trends, product mix opportunities, competitive positioning, and account growth strategies.
• Leverage CRM to manage strategic opportunities, document activity, collaborate with field sales, and support the successful execution of growth initiatives.
• Help implement product strategies, technical support initiatives, and tactical plans aligned with SurfacePrep’s broader sales and growth objectives.
• Contribute to regional business planning by aligning product strategy with customer application needs, supplier priorities, and sales execution.
• Build strong relationships with supplier sales and technical teams to support training, product positioning, joint growth efforts, and issue resolution.
• Communicate product strategy, technical updates, market trends, and competitive insights clearly to field sales, operations, and internal stakeholders.
• Provide technical and product training that strengthens the confidence and solution-selling capabilities of field and inside sales teams.
• Lead product training and rollout efforts by planning and executing training sessions for new product launches and coordinating internal rollouts to ensure all relevant teams are informed, prepared, and equipped for successful implementation.
• Act as a trusted resource by helping troubleshoot application issues, support customer conversions, and ensure recommended solutions perform as intended.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Focus Product Groups

• Coated Abrasives
• Portable Bonded Abrasives
• Coated Equipment
• Coated Accessories
• Band Saw Blades and Equipment
• Hand Tools – Air and Electric
• Tapes and Adhesives

Requirements

The ideal candidate will bring a blend of technical expertise, commercial awareness, and customer-focused problem-solving. A bachelor’s degree in a related field—such as Marketing, Business, Engineering, or another technical discipline—is preferred, along with 5+ years of relevant experience. Equivalent combinations of education and experience will also be considered. Relevant experience may include:

• Demonstrated success in a sales, product specialist, technical support, purchasing, pricing, or application-focused role.
• Strong technical aptitude and the ability to understand abrasive applications, customer processes, product performance factors, and solution recommendations.
• Experience evaluating customer needs, supporting product trials, solving application issues, and translating technical findings into commercial opportunities.
• Demonstrated knowledge and use of business intelligence and data analytics tools to identify trends, opportunities, and performance drivers.
• Strong collaboration and team-building skills with a proven ability to work cross-functionally with sales, suppliers, operations, and support teams.
• Proficient use of Microsoft Office products, including Word, PowerPoint, and Excel; SharePoint experience preferred.
• Ability to manage and interpret large data sets utilizing White Cup Business Analytics or similar reporting tools.
• Self-starter with strong time management, organizational, project planning, and execution skills, with the ability to work independently with limited supervision.
• Strong customer service orientation with excellent communication, problem-solving, and issue-resolution abilities.

Benefits

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance.
• 401(k) Plan.
• Paid Time Off.
• Paid Holidays.
• Company Paid Life Insurance.
• Company Paid Short-Term Disability.
• Company Paid Long-Term Disability.
• Employee Assistance Program.

About SurfacePrep

Founded in 1956, SurfacePrep is North America’s leading provider of surface enhancement solutions, with over 60 locations across the United States, Canada, and Europe. We help manufacturers improve performance, quality, and efficiency with industry-leading equipment, consumables, expertise, and process solutions.