Cigar brander

Cigar branders tend machines that stamp brands on cigar wrappers. They keep machines supplied with all the required input material and observe that processes do not jam. They clean ink rollers preventively.

The following job titles also refer to cigar brander:

cigars brander
brander
cigar brander tender
cigar wrapping machine tender
branding machine operator
machine operative, cigar production
branding machine operative
cigar brander operative
cigar wrapper tender
cigar producer
cigar product brander
cigar wrapping machine operative
cigar branding machine operator

No formal educational credential is generally required to work as cigar brander. However, this requirement may differ in some countries.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Cigar brander is a Skill level 2 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to cigar brander.

leaf sorter
cigar inspector
cacao beans cleaner
leaf tier
kettle tender

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of cigar brander. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of cigar brander with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

green coffee coordinator
animal feed supervisor
malt house supervisor
green coffee buyer
distillery supervisor

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of cigar brander.

• Quality prototype of a tobacco leaf: Characteristics and properties of a tobacco leaf to grade and consider it of high, medium, or low quality product taking into account colour variations, tears, tar spots, tight grain, and size of the leaf.
• Crafting: The ability to work with the hands in order to create something artistic.
• Manufacturing of smoked tobacco products: The processes, materials, and techniques to manufacture different types of smoked tobacco products such as cigars, fine cut tobacco, pipe tobacco, and cigarettes.

These skills are necessary for the role of cigar brander.

• Stock tobacco products machines with materials: Stock machine with materials for production of tobacco products. Take care to provide adequate quantities of paper, filters, glue, and other materials to achieve the daily production plan.
• Monitor machine operations: Observe machine operations and evaluate product quality thereby ensuring conformity to standards.
• Mark differences in colours: Identify differences between colours, such as shades of colour.
• Position tobacco products in machines: Position the tobacco products on the conveyor leading into the machine. Start the machine to place the brand or stamp on them. Take care that the quality of the product and the leaves are not damaged in the process.
• Perform cleaning duties: Perform cleaning duties such as waste removal, vacuuming, emptying bins, and general cleaning of the working area. Cleaning activities should follow health and safety regulations if required.
• Apply HACCP: Apply regulations regarding manufacture of food and food safety compliance. Employ food safety procedures based on Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP).
• Check quality of products on the production line: Check products for quality on the production line and remove defective items before and after packaging.
• Tend cigar stamp machine: Tend machine that prints on cigar wrapper. Fill ink well on machine or place pre-manufacture labels to be placed in the cigar.
• Work in conveyor belts in food manufacturing: Work in rotating conveyor belt systems in food manufacturing.
• Apply requirements concerning manufacturing of food and beverages: Apply and follow national, international, and internal requirements quoted in standards, regulations and other specifications related with manufacturing of food and beverages.
• Apply GMP: Apply regulations regarding manufacture of food and food safety compliance. Employ food safety procedures based on Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP).
• Carry out checks of production plant equipment: Carry out checks of the machinery and equipment used in the production plant. Ensure that the machinery is working properly, set machines before usage, and assure continuous operability of the equipment.
• Measure precise food processing operations: Carry out accurately measured assignments with suitable tools and equipment in the process of producing food and beverages.
• Use hand tools to make tobacco products: Use a wide range of hand tools to produce tailored or artisanal tobacco products such as cigars or cigarettes. Use tools such as blades, board with tuckers, tuck moulders, cigar moulds, presses, and packagers.
• Collect final tobacco product: Collect finished tobacco products such as cigars or cigarettes. Place trays at delivery end of machine to catch branded products and remove filled trays. Ensure the integrity and quality of the product.

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of cigar brander. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• History of tobacco: The different stages and developments of tobacco cultivation, cultural particularities and trading through time.
• Tobacco products: The varieties of products that can be manufactured using tobacco leaves as a base. The types of tobacco products which are smoked tobacco products, smokeless tobacco products, and byproducts of tobacco leaves.
• Variety of tobacco leaves: Types of tobacco cultivars and varieties and their characteristics. Connection of attributes with cigar or cigarettes product requirements.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of cigar brander. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Act reliably: Proceed in a way that one can be relied on or depended on.
• Work independently in service of a food production process: Work individually as an important element in service of a food production process. This function is executed individually with little or no supervision or collaboration with colleagues.
• Perform detailed food processing operations: Perform precise food processing operations with great attention and detail to all steps in the creation of a qualitative product.
• Show confidence: Demonstrate degrees of maturity by fully understanding one’s own qualities and abilities which can serve as sources of confidence in different situations.
• Liaise with colleagues: Liaise with fellow colleagues to ensure common understanding on work related affairs and agree on the necessary compromises the parties might need to face. Negotiate compromises between parties as to ensure that work in general run efficiently towards the achievement of the objectives.
• Follow given instructions: Follow instructions to achieve goals and meet deadlines.
• Identify market niches: Analyse the composition of the markets, segment these into groups, and highlight the opportunities that each one of these niches represent in terms of new products.
• Adapt efficient food processing practices: Ensure to adapt the most efficient production techniques to accomplish food processing tasks with the least amount of time, effort and costs.
• Perform services in a flexible manner: Adapt service approach when circumstances change.
• Liaise with managers: Liaise with managers of other departments ensuring effective service and communication, i.e. sales, planning, purchasing, trading, distribution and technical.

8183 – Packing, bottling and labelling machine operators

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References

1. Cigar brander – ESCO
2. Featured image: By Stegomon13 – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0