Quat-Chem hosts visit with Hopwood Hall chemistry students

Quat-Chem host a science visit with students from Hopwood Hall College

Chemistry students from Hopwood Hall College in Middleton visited Quat-Chem to take a tour of the facilities.

Students enjoyed an hour long visit with Dr Christalla Varnavas, Quat-Chem’s Senior Chemist, who guided them through some of the chemical processes, health and safety procedures and protocol.

The tour began in the main foyer, where students were kitted out with the necessary personal protective equipment (PPE) and given a work pack.

The group looked at raw material intake to the site, manufacturing, quality control, storage of chemicals and packaging, through to final dispatch.

Steve Brock, Quat-Chem’s Production Manager, also discussed with students how a production site is selected and prepared for chemical manufacture.

Dr Varnavas said: “I was very impressed with the group of students, they were engaged and asked relevant questions at each point of the tour.”

The visit allowed students to see the theory come to life and understand more about how a chemical plant operates.

Dr Rubinah Chowdhary, Scientific Director at Quat-Chem, said: “It is important that chemistry students establish the link between what they learn in class and its industrial applications. Appreciating the vital role chemicals play in safeguarding our health makes chemistry much more interesting.”

The tour was concluded over at the new Quat-Chem site where students were able to see how the company is expanding.

Promoting careers in chemistry to young people is important for Quat-Chem and the company believes that recruiting from the Rochdale area is important. Dr Varnavas said: “Inviting students to see the facilities we have here is a great way of introducing them to careers in the chemical industry and to Quat-Chem.”

As part of the company’s growth strategy, it plans to institute an apprenticeship programme early next year.

Louise Pogson, lecturer at Hopwood Hall, said: “Our students really appreciated the opportunity to visit a real chemical plant and experience first-hand what it is like and ask questions.

"Their next assignment focuses upon the transport and storage of raw materials and products, batch processes and what factors determine the location of a chemical processing plant. Therefore the knowledge gained from this visit was extremely relevant and useful, enabling them to put some of their learning into social environment and context.”

Hopwood Hall and Quat-Chem expect to schedule other collaborative events for students over the coming months.