Putting the Fizz into Learning

 

In March,  the Year 13 Product Design and Resistant Materials students visited the Coca-Cola Factory in A’ali. The trip was focused around the students’ current A2 project, covering a range of manufacturing processes.

The trip started with a presentation of the history of the Coca-Cola brand and their commitment to the environment and local and global community. Along with samples of their products, the presentation moved onto the workings of the factory itself. The tour of the factory covered the arrival of raw materials, right up to the very end finished products, wrapped and ready to be sent off to various locations in Bahrain andsurrounding countries.

A highlights of the tour included the Blow Moulding process, where the pre-forms are heated, stretched and then blown into full size plastic bottles that are then filled with a particular drink.  The  filling areas themselves were surrounded by many lasers and weighing quality control machines, which reject bottles that are not up to standard. Testing rooms provide an inspection facility for each batch.

The whole system itself is based on Just-In-Time manufacturing, in which, the raw materials are ordered based on demand rather than forecast. This helps reduce stock levels and free-up cash flow.

The trip really brought the curriculum alive, it identified why certain steps are taken in the manufacturing process. The students would like to thank Coca-Cola for the opportunity to visit their bottling factory.

Emma Lonsdale, Year 13