An interview with Md Mahbubur Rahman
Md Mahbubur Rahman holds a position of Process Control Engineer with Premiere Fibers Inc since 2024. His journey from academia to industry was motivated by a desire to gain real-world expertise with synthetic yarn production. He began his career immediately after obtaining a Master’s degree in Industrial Engineering from Lamar University Texas, where his research focused on carbon nanofibers and carbon nanotube-based materials.
Rahman’s primary responsibility is to develop and design partially oriented yarn (POY) and fully drawn yarn (FDY) according to customer specifications. Premiere Fibers’ products include polypropylene, thermoplastic polyurethane, nylon 6, nylon 6,6 and recyclable polymers. In addition to designing yarn, Rahman optimizes various production processes such as extrusion, drying and quenching in order to improve yarn properties such as shrinkage and elongation, among others. Yarn texturing is performed at a sister company, so although not directly involved in the process, he still optimizes the yarn in preparation for this treatment later in the value chain.
Improving production processes and reducing operational costs require the use of several techniques such as Predetermined Motion Time Systems (PMTS) and Six Sigma methodologies such as Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA).
Md Mahbubur Rahman, Premiere Fibers Inc.
“One of the key challenges is sustainable product development. There is increasing demand for fibers made from recycled polymers, such as recycled nylon and polyester.”
As the industry adjusts to meet customers’ expectations for more sustainable products, the challenges of incorporating additives into recycled materials significantly affect process stability and product consistency, requiring extensive trial and optimization. Rahman is working with biodegradable polymers sourced from global suppliers, but these are expensive and limited in availability. In some cases, reliance on a single supplier creates supply chain risks and limits flexibility.
Another major challenge is price competitiveness. Due to lower labor costs in other regions, manufacturers must rely on automation and process optimization to remain competitive.
Asked about the skills required to be successful in today’s industry, Rahman says that “Teamwork is crucial in this labor-intensive industry. Strong communication skills, critical thinking, and the ability to perform root cause analysis are also important.” He also highlights the need for technical skills such as data analysis and knowledge of lean manufacturing principles.
For someone wishing to build a career in the textile and fiber industry, he advises acquiring a comprehensive understanding of the entire manufacturing process, from the polymer processes to the differences between synthetic and natural fibers all the way to e-textiles and nanomaterials. Rahman says functional fibers are the key to the industry’s future. While conventional fibers still dominate the market, demand for advanced materials is growing and is expected to expand significantly.
In his spare time, Rahman enjoys spending time with his family and exploring the different regions of the country. Reach out to him on LinkedIn here: Md Mahbubur Rahman.