Yesterday was another early morning for us as we departed from the hotel to make our way to Phelps Dodge International Corporation (PDIC). There were some of us who were unaware of what exactly PDIC does, however, we quickly discovered the main purpose of the high quality wire and cable manufacturing company. PDIC is a company that produces and supplies wire and cable for mining, construction, and many other commodities for buyers all around the world. We also learned that PDIC mainly sells to the buyers in countries where there is a Free Trade Agreement (FTA); in other words, a pact between two countries that eliminate tariffs and quotas for imported and exported goods. Some of the countries that PDIC has a FTA with are Canada, United States, Dominican Republic, Trinidad and Tobago etc... The company goal is to become the leading wire and cable manufacturing supplier in all of Central America. To ensure that this is done efficiently, PDIC emphasizes 5 key aspects; 1) safety of their employees 2) health coverage 3) financial stability 4) customer satisfaction and last but certainly not least, 5) a combination of high quality and mass production of their products at a reasonable price. The presentation that was given to us upon our arrival was the minimum amount of information that each and every person that visits the plant must be aware of. Along with the presentation came some very strict dress code rules. We were not allowed to wear any jewelry, loose clothing, or purses, we had to have worn closed toe shoes and long pants, us girls plus our tour guide Esteban had to tie our hair up and we all had to wear goggles, earplugs and shoe protectors prior to taking the tour of the plant. Inside the manufacturing area, we oversaw the many different types of cable which varied in diameter, color, and insulation; each wire was constructed uniquely for its main purpose, some being as thin as the ones used to fuse a blow dryer, to thicker ones that are used for underground mining. It was definitely interesting to how something that has become an overlooked commodity, such as cables and wires, are so intricate.
Afterward, we took a trip to Dos Pinos one of the major producers of commercial milk in Latin America. The company receives milk from numerous dairy farms that are temporarily held in cooling tanks until they reach the plant. To ensure the highest quality milk is being received from these farms the milk must first pass a series of tests. The first test is from the driver of the truck itself. He must taste the milk before loading it onto his cooling tank and be confident that it is nothing less than high in quality. As the second test, the milk is examined in a lab to make sure that the milk is rich in nutrients and free from anything that may cause sickness. Due to the fact that Dos Pinos creates the majority of their products for children, they must provide goods that are safe for them. Once the milk has passed these tests it is then homogenized with the milk from other farms, pasteurized and then dispersed to the production rooms where over 4000 products are made, contained and shipped out to buyers. These products include milks, yogurts, juices, ice creams etc... At the end of the tour we had the privilege of being able to taste Dos Pinos ice cream first hand. It was definitely the best way to end our last company visit on our trip!!!
Ashley Garcia and Erica Lopez
No comments:
Post a Comment