Bronze success for Jacobs Douwe Egberts
29th June 2017
The Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) has awarded Bronze Corporate Partner to Jacobs Douwe Egberts (JDE) in Banbury, UK for showing a clear commitment to the training of young process engineers.
JDE is a global coffee and tea company with over 12,000 associates worldwide and is responsible for a number of coffee brands including Jacobs, Tassimo, Senseo, L’Or, Douwe Egberts, Kenco and Moccona.
Around 600 associates, working in Research & Development (R&D), commercial functions and manufacturing work at the Banbury site. The varied scope of roles available in JDE gives engineers the opportunity to experience small, pilot-scale process development and large-scale plant operations.
There are currently around 30 chemical engineers employed at the site, sixteen of which are graduates enrolled on the IChemE Accredited Company Training Scheme (ACTS). The scheme encourages trainees to expand their practical skills and knowledge, and facilitates them in applying for Chartered Chemical Engineer status – the leading professional benchmark for chemical engineers.
Each year JDE also takes on about 10 undergraduate students for a 12-month work placement, to provide them with a mentor and a deeper understanding of working in the food and drink industry.
The Corporate Partner presentation, which took place at the JDE Banbury site, was attended by IChemE Director Neil Atkinson, JDE Global Vice President R&D, David Smith, JDE Process and Ingredient Technology Manager, Simon Fox, Process Development Manager, Sian Henson and mentors and trainees from their accredited training scheme.
Neil Atkinson said:
“I’m delighted to present Jacobs Douwe Egberts with IChemE’s Bronze Corporate Partner Award.
“The Banbury site leadership has sustained a strong commitment to the development of their Chemical Engineers over many years and the business is an excellent example of the variety of opportunities available to them. Jacobs Douwe Egberts provides their engineers with opportunities to experience both small and large process operations: designing, researching, and manufacturing the food products we use every day.
“They continue to strive for excellence, not only in their products but in the quality of their engineers. Their commitment to young people is clearly demonstrated through a successful placement scheme and the graduate level Accredited Training Scheme. Not to mention that they produce some of the world’s most popular blends of coffee – I think we can all thank them for that!”
David Smith said:
“Achieving chartered status is the leading professional benchmark for chemical engineers around the world. As a process technology driven food business, ensuring that graduate trainees reach this key point in their professional careers as effectively and quickly as possible is important to JDE. We believe strongly that supporting individuals to grow underpins the growth of our business.
'Maintaining an accredited training scheme for Chemical Engineers who join JDE demonstrates to both internal and external stakeholders that the organisation delivers tangible, high quality and relevant experience for its engineering trainees. This in turn supports the recruitment and retention of people that will make a difference in our business.
'We are delighted to be awarded Bronze Corporate Partner and continue to demonstrate our commitment that, through our intern program and sponsorship of activities for young engineers, the food and drink industry can provide a challenging and fulfilling career.”
JDE is a privately owned company that was created in July 2015 through the merger of D. E Master Blenders 1753 and the coffee business from Mondelez International. JDE is now working towards IChemE Silver Corporate partner status, by expanding their commitment to the profession and the next generation of chemical engineers.