NOMINATION: Oatey promotes Eric Kirwen to VP, Supply Chain Planning and Logistics
Oatey Co., a Cleveland-based manufacturer of products for the plumbing industry, announced on October 15, 2026 that Eric Kirwen has been promoted to Vice President, Supply Chain Planning and Logistics. Kirwen joined Oatey in 2022 as Senior Manager, Supply Chain and was most recently Director, Supply Chain Planning.
According to Oatey, Kirwen previously led the development of its demand and supply planning functions, including work on forecasting, common planning processes across manufacturing sites and performance indicators such as backorders, fill rate and inventory. In the new role, he retains responsibility for supply chain planning and adds domestic transportation and international logistics. His stated scope covers planning, inventory, S&OP and transportation strategy.
Oatey says the expanded role aims to strengthen customer service, inventory and cost performance and coordination across the supply chain. These are company objectives and descriptions of prior work, not independently verified post-promotion improvements. The announcement does not introduce an artificial intelligence programme, a new planning-system deployment or an unannounced technology initiative.
Official announcement: https://news.oatey.com/474717-oatey-co-promotes-eric-kirwen-to-vice-president-supply-chain-planning-and-logistics
This promotion brings planning and logistics accountability closer together inside a single operating leadership role. The relevant organizational change is that inventory and S&OP decisions now sit alongside domestic transportation and international logistics responsibilities, potentially making trade-offs across supply plans, stock positions, service and freight execution more coherent.
For manufacturing supply chain leaders, the value condition is whether shared ownership improves coordination between plans and physical flows, with clear priorities when inventory, transport cost and customer service objectives conflict. A consolidated reporting line alone cannot guarantee better decisions; the failure mode is broader accountability without effective cross-functional processes or measurable operating improvements. Oatey has announced a leadership change and operational objectives, not an AI programme or proven new outcomes.