APU Marketing and Management students visited Faber-Castell Malaysia to explore sustainable manufacturing, global brand management, and eco-friendly initiatives like solar power and responsible forestry, where a factory tour, sustainability insights, and a hands-on painting workshop helped bridge classroom learning with real-world industry practice.

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On 25 September 2026, the Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation’s (APU) School of Marketing & Management (SoMM) embarked on an educational industry visit to Faber-Castell Malaysia. 

Led by Ms Harjinder Kaur, Senior Lecturer and Industry Advisory Panel Coordinator, the trip brought together 35 undergraduate and postgraduate students spanning Digital Marketing, Business Analytics, Digital Communications, Technology Management, and International Business Management. 

Designed to bridge the gap between academic theory and corporate reality, the excursion provided participants with firsthand exposure to real-world manufacturing, global brand strategy, and sustainable business operations.

Guided throughout the tour by Mr Bay Toh, students stepped into the world of one of the oldest and most respected stationery brands in the world.

The experience offered deep insights into how a global household name continuously innovated while preserving its centuries-old commitment to quality. 

Participants toured the production floor, witnessing the precision manufacturing and stringent quality control protocols behind Faber-Castell’s famous erasers. 

Beyond watching continuous improvement in action, students viewed rare historical exhibits, including the world’s largest, smallest, and oldest pencils.

A central highlight of the visit was discovering how Faber-Castell embedded environmental stewardship into its core business model.

Students examined several green initiatives, including the widespread adoption of solar power across facilities and the manufacture of PVC-free erasers. 

They also explored environmentally conscious packaging solutions and the company’s managed pine forests in Brazil, where trees were continually cultivated and replanted to power pencil production. 

These practical examples demonstrated how global enterprises support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs), specifically Responsible Consumption and Production (SDG 12), Climate Action (SDG 13), and Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure (SDG 9).

The showcase proved that sustainability served not merely as corporate goodwill, but as a primary driver of long-term commercial success.

The visit concluded with a vibrant, hands-on canvas painting workshop using Faber-Castell art supplies. 

The interactive session allowed students to evaluate the products from a consumer perspective, sparking nostalgia, team collaboration, and creative self-expression.

Reflecting on the outing, Digital Marketing student Franca Victoria Von Preyss shared that seeing the production processes firsthand helped her understand the effort behind products she had known since childhood, noting that she was particularly impressed by the responsible forestry efforts in Brazil. 

Fellow master’s students Lukas Johannes Jung and Valentina Ciceros Ospina highlighting how observing eraser production and renewable energy adoption demonstrated the impressive scale, efficiency, and environmental commitment of the brand.

Undergraduate students Kimberly Gina Pereira and Dravid Trishanth Jaysham added that the combination of touring the solar-powered facility and painting together provided an eye-opening, enjoyable, and memorable way to connect with classmates outside the classroom.

Reflecting on the overall success of the trip, Ms Harjinder Kaur highlighted the transformative impact of experiential learning, noting that industry engagement plays a crucial role in preparing students for professional realities. 

She concluded that connecting academic concepts with real-world applications helps nurture graduates who are both industry-ready and sustainability-conscious. 

APU’s SoMM expressed their sincere appreciation to Faber-Castell Malaysia for their warm hospitality, engaging tour, and valuable industry insights, reinforcing the university’s ongoing dedication to fostering impactful industry-academia collaboration.