1 February 2012



My new job description requires me to visit a lot of factories, power plants & warehouses to check on PLCs and automations and stuff like that. While not very glamorous, it is quite interesting to be able to see how they made stuff while enjoying the sweltering hot factory environment, walking in dust and dirt and being exposed to all sort of workplace hazards. Things you do to put food on the table.

So far I've been to a few factories and power plants. My regular port would be this food manufacturing plant in nearby PJ. I've been there like half a dozen times already and I've got the chance to see first hand how they make those chili & ketchup sauce, chicken stock, chocolate drink, milk & yogurt just to name a few. Being the largest food products manufacturer in the world, safety & cleanliness are naturally their top priority. Each time before anybody enters the plant, we need to wear this lab coat and silly hair net so that we won't accidentally contaminate the food. Of course you won't want to find a strand of my hair in your next Kit Kat bar would you? That would be scandalous. Apart from that they have all sort of safety and hygienic measures like washing your hands before entering each new sections of the plant and also having metal detectors in each and every tank. Fascinating stuff.

However except from the occasional free drinks from the pantry, don't expect any free 'gifts' or products while visiting the plant. That would never happen. Of course I don't exactly expected them to pass me a bottle of Milo whenever I come. Professionalism is key. Even the staffs there had to buy products from the factory mini mart located inside the plant, at a discounted price of course.

Working in factories is a far cry from my previous working environment where I spent most of my time in arctic cold server rooms and comfy office spaces. For one thing, I have no idea how those stuff works in the first place and secondly, I basically have to learn pretty much everything myself. It's not easy but I'll have to adapt. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, right? Not that I expect to be killed or anything. You could die just trying to cross the street. Hmmm.

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