ACR Journal

ACR industry Charlotte Robinson is a refrigeration engineer for Catalent, based in Swindon. What does your current role involve? My current role is servicing, maintenance and identifying the potential for faults and breakdowns of our on-site equipment at Catalent’s Swindon site. We have a wide range of equipment here, including chillers, air handling units (AHUs), dehumidifiers, boilers, purified water systems, refrigerated storage cabinets and cooling towers. But 99% of my time is spent working on our freeze dryers, which are fundamental to the production process for Catalent’s proprietary Zydis® orally disintegrating tablet (ODT) technology, which is used in several over-the-counter and consumer health treatments, and some prescription medicines. Part of the production process is achieved by use of low temperature freeze dryers, which lyophilise a liquid formulation to remove moisture from the product. This is imperative to how the technology works because it is moisture in the mouths of patients and consumers that triggers almost instant (typically in less than three seconds) disintegration of the tablet, providing an alternative dose form for those who are unable to swallow traditional oral medication, are taking a tablet “on the go” without water, or where a rapid onset of action is advantageous. What attracted you to the industry? I remember looking for apprenticeships when wanting to retrain and refrigeration really stuck out. I think my curiosity peaked when I saw that a refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump (RACHP) engineering qualification could be completed in just three years. I had only really thought about domestic refrigeration applications but, while researching, started to see how varied the field was, and just how much society depends on refrigeration every day. Combining my interests in science and electrical and mechanical work, the further investigated the more appealing it became. What excites/interests you about the industry? The fact that there is so much to learn, and that air conditioning and refrigeration seems to be developing and evolving all the time. Just when you think you have a reasonably comprehensive knowledge of the various technologies and equipment employed, there is something new to train on and absorb. What was your first job? My first permanent job was working for Honda of the UK Manufacturing Ltd, building cars. I spent eight years there and was hoping to join its apprenticeship programme after having my children. However, the company announced that it intended to close the plant in February 2019, and it was at that time that I started looking at retraining with the possibility of doing a similar apprenticeship before being made redundant. Ultimately, the site closure did not happen until July 2021, but I already had my heart set on a change, and I decided to leave before then. While I had enjoyed working for Honda and learnt a lot of skills that stood me in good stead for my next role, I wanted more of a challenge, plus the 4.30 am shift start with two young children proved a tough challenge. February | March 2023 34 WOMEN IN ACR Volume 9 No.2 Diane J Drummond