What does your career path look like at Sibelco?
I started my career at Sibelco as a Technical Supervisor in 1997. The focus in my job was on new product development for ball clay and quality auditing at our Sopprab Plant. At that time, I was based in our Thailand head office nearby Bangkok.
In 1999, I moved to Lampang, nearby our Sopprab plant, to focus on my job as Technical Supervisor. After a couple of years in this role, I was promoted to Technical Manager in 2005. In 2017, my responsibilities extended and I became Plant Manager. In this role, my focus is on people management, safety and cost management.
What Sibelco project you participated in, are you most proud of?
In 1999, I got a scholarship from Sibelco in the UK to train on ball clay processing in Devon for three weeks. This was an important moment in my career, since I learned a lot about how to do ball clay processing at the highest level. In 2019, I had the pleasure to return to the UK for one week to keep enhancing my knowledge.
In the early 2000s, I was nominated by my manager for the award of ‘Best Employee of Asia’, a local Sibelco initiative. My nomination was a result of one of my projects to introduce the use of low cost raw materials at our plant, which led to significant cost savings. I didn’t win the award, but I did receive a holiday with my family to Phuket - in the south of Thailand - as a reward for my contributions.
How do you like to make a positive impact?
I’d like to say that a positive attitude and positive thinking are key. I like to apply the Sibelco behaviours in my daily work. As a Plant Manager, I also find it important to recognise other people and the job they do. Lastly, having an open mind is, according to me, something that helps you to really make an impact on others and in your work.
What advice would you give yourself if you were just starting your career today?
Don’t limit yourself to one ‘line’ of work. You might find opportunities outside what you would typically do, or what you are educated in. Be confident in your abilities and always keep improving your skills and knowledge. Never stop learning. Motivate yourself and keep going.
If you had to choose one thing to challenge, what would it be at Sibelco today?
Become the absolute world top in manufacturing, use the best in class manufacturing practices and keep customers at the centre to deliver products and services better than our competitors. Also keep the focus on producing quality products and services, on-time delivery and running cost effective operations. Go for continuous improvements in quality, lead time, customer service and expenses. I’m sure we are on the right path!
