We talked to Marta Malea Ochoa, a graduate of ETSEAMN and recent award winner.with the award for Best FMT in the category “Best Professional Work”.in the IX Edition of the awards of the Colegio Oficial de Ingenieros Agrónomos de Levante (COIAL).
- Good morning, first of all we would like to get to know you better so we ask you to introduce yourself to your colleagues, who is Marta Malea?
I am an agricultural engineer and I am currently working as aProduction Manager in a compound feed factory (COAVRE)).I am 28 years old and have been working for three years.Although I continue to study every year different courses that allow me to grow and continue training as a professional.
- You have recently been awarded the prize for Best TFM in the category “Best Professional Work” of the COIAL, what does this recognition mean to you?
Well, first and foremost, a joy.This work has a lot of history behind ita few years ago, I leftacademic exchange to Buenos Aires to do my TFM on animal feeding in cattle.comparing two diets based on different compound feeds (or balanced feed, as they call it there). It was a work that started out being very interesting and I was very excited about it, but due to thepandemic, I had to go back to Spain and leave everything in the middle.
Although this was a great disappointment for me, I had the opportunity toWe are very fortunate to start working at COAVRE,where I had been doing an internship in the technical department before my trip. So when I started working at interest in energy efficiency,it occurred to us that it could be a good topic for my TFM.
“The future of feed mills lies in achieving increasingly efficient and sustainable production.”
The truth is that the company supported me and provided me with all the resources I needed to develop it and I have really enjoyed this project. I am still working on this every day and I believe thatthe future of feed mills lies in achieving increasingly efficient and sustainable production.
- What does the award-winning work consist of?
The work is a study on energy efficiency in the manufacture of animal feed. It is mainly based on the two stages of the production process that have the highest energy consumption (milling and pelleting) and the objective is toto study how we can act on the different parameters of the production process that we, as feed manufacturers, establish for each of the phases, identifying how we can make it more efficient.
The work studies how we can act on the different parameters of the production process that we, as feed manufacturers, establish for each of the stages of the process
Through network analyzers and an energy SCADA that allows us to monitor each manufacturing process, we can seek to reduce production costs.Knowing how each formula behaves in both stages of the process, we choose from the optimal percentage of inclusion of each raw material to the optimal percentage of inclusion of each raw material. to the milling speeds, granulation performance or the kilos of steam and conditioning temperature we want to use. Knowing the energy cost per ton of each production process allows us to optimize it.
- Who have been your director(s)?
Mytutors have been Enrique Blas at UPV and Juan Carlos Aucejo, Head of Quality and Environment at COAVRE.. It has been a good fortune to be able to work with them. Enrique was the first person who talked to me about feed manufacturing in my Master’s Degree in Agricultural Engineering classes and he has always been a great support. Juan Carlos teaches me new things every day and helps me to progress, getting very involved in the development of this TFM and in my professional growth. To both of you, thank you very much.
- Where do you want to direct/are you directing your professional future?
I want to train and continue to grow in this sector. I believe thatthe world of feed mills is a great unknown for many people. and when you get to know it, you realize how beautiful it is and how important it is.
My biggest personal challenge is to never stop seeing the good things that happen to us every day and to enjoy life with the people I love.
- What is your biggest challenge on a personal level?
To be happy. I have more and more short term goals, both on a personal and professional level (travel all over the world, learn new languages, be very good at my job, get to know new cultures, run a half marathon, learn things that make me grow, new sports, read a lot of books, learn about movies and music…) but more and more I want to be happy.y biggest personal challenge is to never stop seeing the good things that happen to us every day and to enjoy life with the people I love.
- Moving on to a more personal and relaxed side, what slogan or phrase would you say?is it an inspiration for you?
“Luck is where preparation and opportunity meet.“. It is a phrase that my brother Vicente repeats to me a lot and I love it.
- Are you a user of social networks?
Yes, I like to be connected with everything that happens (although everything in its right measure, a little while a day).
- If so, which social network do you find most useful?
LinkedIn on a work level, Instagram on a personal level.
- Pizza, with or without pineapple?
Without pineapple
- Vacations, sea or mountain?
Sea and mountains, the more trips, the better!
- Finally, coffee, black or with milk?
Café only on weekdays, with milk on weekends.