Industrial visits part of student experience for Curtin Malaysia engineering students

Miri – 15 July 2018 – 40 engineering students of Curtin University Malaysia (Curtin Malaysia) had the opportunity to enrich their student experience by visiting two manufacturing concerns in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur recently – The Italian Baker and Karex Berhad.

The students were from the university’s Faculty of Engineering and Science and members of its Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) Student Chapter, which organised the visits to the industrial bread baking and latex manufacturing plants.

Accompanying them were chemical engineering lecturers Dr. Bridgid Chin Lai Fui and Dr. Zeinab Abbas Jawad.

According to Dr. Chin, who is academic advisor to the student chapter, the visits allowed the students to observe and experience large-scale industrial processes and equipment, as well relate what they learn in their classes to real engineering practices.

On hand to welcome the students and lecturers to The Italian Baker were Event Coordinator and Administration Executive Nur Ain Akma Abdul Malik and Corporate Services Administrator Mandy Low.

At the plant, the students learned about its state-of-the-art, fully-automated production lines which use the latest American, European and Australian technology.

The Italian Baker is a Malaysian bakery chain owned by The Italian Baker Sdn. Bhd., which is a subsidiary of Federal Flour Mills Berhad. Based in Pulau Indah, Selangor, the bakery operates a large brand new RM120 million industrial plant with three production lines that can produce up to 16,000 loaves of bread, 24,000 bread rolls and 15,000 cakes per hour.

Meanwhile, at Karex Berhad, the students were received by Human Resources and Administration Manager Yvonne Lim and Group Human Resource Manager Erick Koh. Following a briefing, the students were shown the production lines at the plant which manufactures a variety of latex rubber products.

Karex Berhad is a Malaysia-based company that is principally engaged in manufacturing and selling sterile catheters, latex probe covers, condoms, lubricating jelly, latex sleeves, rubber finger gloves, hand gloves and other rubber products. The company operates its business through a number of subsidiaries in Malaysia, Thailand, Hong Kong, the United States and Europe.

Third-year chemical engineering student and organising co-chairperson for the trip, Bong Jang Tyng, said that it was an eye-opening experience for her and her peers as they were able to gain valuable insights into the bread and latex manufacturing industries. She also said they were amazed by the scale of the companies’ operations.

Dr. Chin remarked that she is very supportive of industrial visits that provide students unique learning opportunities away from the classroom. She said the visits to The Italian Baker and Karex Berhad helped the students understand how theories and principles of chemical engineering are applied in industry practice. They also enhanced their understanding of unit operations, process and design concepts, and the impact of industrial activities on health, safety, the environment and society.

The Curtin Malaysia IChemE Student Chapter serves to promote the latest developments and advances in the field of chemical engineering among Curtin Malaysia students, as well as create networking opportunities by bringing students and industrial representatives together. This allow the students to expand their professional networks and learning well beyond the classroom.

For more information on the student chapter, email csichemesc@gmail.com, visit its Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/CMIChemESC/, or its website at https://cmichemesc.jimdofree.com.

Students and lecturers pose for group photo at The Italian Baker.

Group photo of students at Karex Berhad.