FORUM
| JURUTERA November 2012 30
A Visit to Bio-Cosmetics Facility of SIRIM Berhad, Shah Alam
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING TECHNICAL DIVISION
A group consisting of 20 IEM members and non-members, accompanied by Engr. Dr Chong Chien Hwa (committee member) and Ms. Kek Mei Tzy (secretariat) from Chemical Engineering Technical Division (CETD) recently visited SIRIM Berhad’s Bio-Cosmetics Facility in Shah Alam. The highlight of the day was the visit to the Polyhydroxylalkanoate (PHA) Bioplastic pilot plant.
SIRIM Berhad has been operating in Malaysia for over 40 years. The mission of the company is to be among the best in the world in terms of quality and technology, with particular emphasis on nanotechnology, biotechnology, renewable energy, metrology, automotive component and green materials.
As Malaysia is rich in natural resources and biodiversity, SIRIM Berhad’s biotechnology division spearheads research in the industrial biotechnology and bio-cosmetic.
Its team of experienced scientists and engineers led by Dr Ahmad Hazri b. Ab. Rashid, General Manager of Industrial Biotechnology Research Centre, assist entrepreneurs in developing products that are safe for both the environment and society. The bio-cosmetics programme is one of the research programmes under the Industrial Biotechnology Center. Natural product research for bioactive metabolites, bio-based chemicals, cosmeceuticals and nutraceuticals are conducted.
The research and development activities as well as services conducted by SIRIM include extraction and SXUL»FDWLRQ VWDQGDUGLVDWLRQ SUR»OLQJ LGHQWL»FDWLRQ RI actives, biological activity studies, safety and biocompatibility
HYDOXDWLRQV LQYLWUR DQG LQYLYR SURGXFW HI»FDF\ VWXGLHV product formulation and delivery technology.
This visit provided the participants with some insight on the bio-cosmetics research and testing conducted by SIRIM Berhad in ensuring that the products meet the safety standards. The visit included viewing of complete laboratory facilities available at the Centre to develop cosmetic and topical products starting from laboratory scale to pilot production. The visited facilities included the extraction DQGSXUL»FDWLRQODERUDWRULHVWKHVDIHW\DQGELRFRPSDWLELOLW\
laboratory, the product formulation laboratory, the extraction and fermentation pilot plant facilities, a Cosmetic “Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)” pilot plant and the fully- automated PHA Bioplastic pilot plant.
by Engr. Dr Chong Chien Hwa
Dr Ahmad Hazri bin Ab. Rashid explaining to the participants about the products produced by SIRIM
Extraction and fermentation pilot plant
Cosmetic good manufacturing practice (GMP) pilot plant
FORUM
November 2012 JURUTERA | 31 LAFARGE CONCRETE (MALAYSIA) SDN BHD(95483-H) 2, Jalan Kilang, 46050 Petaling Jaya,
Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia.
Tel : (603) 7787 2000
Fax : (603) 7781 7675 / 7787 2129 www.lafarge.com.my
STEEL FIBER
The PHA Bioplastic pilot plant produces versatile biodegradable plastic materials from crude palm kernel RLODQGSDOPRLOPLOOHI¼XHQWZLWKDFDSDFLW\RIOLWUHV The strain to produce PHA was developed and palm oil PLOOHI¼XHQWVDUHFRQYHUWHGWRRUJDQLFDFLGZKLFKLVWKHQ fermented to produce bioplastic material.
At the end of the session, a token of appreciation was presented to Dr Zanariah Ujang, Head of Marketing and Sales Section Research and Technology Development Division by session chairperson, Engr. Dr Chong Chien Hwa.
Fully automated PHA bioplastic pilot plant
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