We invited Ch.Khuukhenkhuu, a mechanical engineer specialized in building glass facade installation and a specialist at the Italian “Permasteelisa Group”, for an interview. He participated in the construction of the 118-story “Merdeka” tower in Malaysia, the second tallest building in the world and the tallest in the country. Recently, he raised the Mongolian national flag atop this 678-meter-high structure. We inquired about his journey—how a graduate of the current Mongolian University of Science and Technology (formerly Technical University of Mongolia) Mechanical Engineering School came to work shoulder to shoulder with top international specialists on such a prestigious construction site.

You were one of the engineers who managed the installation and, to put it simply, the sealing of the glass façade of the “Merdeka” tower. Could you tell us how you came to work on this major international project?

After participating in the international glass façade project for the “Shangri-La” complex of the MCS Group here in Mongolia, I wanted to work abroad. I told this to a Korean manager I worked with. That person had already sent my resume and work history to the project team in Kuala Lumpur. The project leaders conducted a series of interviews and finally invited me to join the team.

The “Shangri-La” was constructed by a team of international specialists, right?

Yes.

So how did you get invited to this project?

I can say it was thanks to learning English. My family and I lived in Ireland for eight years, and during that time, I learned English. Shortly after returning home, my younger sibling told me there was a job announcement for an Italian company operating in Mongolia looking for English-speaking engineers and advised me to go meet them. Permasteelisa Group, one of the world’s leading companies in building glass facade manufacturing and installation, had established a branch in Mongolia to carry out several projects such as MCS, the new airport, and Shangri-La. When I went there as per the information, the quality manager, a German, spent over an hour speaking with me in English and introducing the factory. Then he asked, “Will you start work tomorrow?” I finished what I was doing in a week and started working as a quality control engineer. At first, I worked in the glass façade factory but was soon called to the construction site.

Were there other Mongolian engineers besides you?

There were engineers in fields like metrology. The site manager was Irish. Since we spoke English with an accent, sometimes he couldn’t understand what the Mongolian workers were saying. Therefore, from the human resources side, I was also assigned to do translation work. Although the main work of the international joint project was completed, I was put in charge of the three-year warranty maintenance work from 2015 to 2018 after the building was put into use. After finishing this work, I told my Korean manager that I wanted to work abroad. At that time, he said, “Ke Ke brother, I am thinking about it. Please wait.” My colleagues call me Ke Ke after the first two letters of my name. Soon after, my manager said, “There is a project in Malaysia. I have already sent your resume and work history.”

Shortly thereafter, the Italian manager responsible for the Malaysian project site interviewed me via video. The following week, the Italian and Irish directors—the project manager and others—conducted three interviews. I was nervous but answered all their questions. Most questions were professionally related, like “Do you know this?” or “What does this mean?” Since I had prior experience in this field, I answered confidently. A week later, I got the reply, “You will work as a specialist on the KL-118 (Kuala Lumpur-118) international project.” That’s how it started, and I worked there for over five years. Although the pandemic delayed the work considerably, we successfully completed it last year.

As I understand, you were the first from Mongolia’s construction sector to work as a specialist on such a large international project. Is that correct?

A Mongolian engineer named Nomin was responsible for the glass facade work at “Shangri-La” from the Hong Kong client side. She finished the project in Mongolia and then went to work on a hotel project in Sri Lanka.

Did you go to Malaysia with your family?

No, I went alone. My wife and children visited me occasionally. After the KL-118 project, when I told my director I wanted to work abroad again, he helped me get a job in Australia. It was a high-end residential project located near the Sydney Opera House, with views of both the city and the ocean. I worked as a quality control engineer on three separate high-rise towers, overseeing the final handover phase for each project. It was a very expensive project. I heard wealthy people buy apartments for millions of dollars and then rent them out to other affluent clients. I worked there for six months, returned to Malaysia, completed all my work, handed everything over, and then came back to Mongolia. Now, my company’s director says, “Work will start soon.” But I don’t yet know where or what the project is.

Were you very satisfied to complete such a major project alongside international experts?

Absolutely. When we were about to install the final glass panel on the 118-story tower, the director told us to raise our respective national flags at the top of the building. Our team first raised the Permasteelisa Group flag, then the Malaysian flag. Since it was a government project, the Malaysian government flag was placed there. Then the flags of Italy, Ireland, Mongolia, and about 10 other countries were raised. It was a proud moment. I thought, “This is a once-in-a-lifetime event.” I felt very happy thinking that we had completed work alongside the world’s best experts specialized in high-rise buildings. Even the quality manager, a young Filipino, had worked on the Burj Khalifa—the tallest building in Dubai and the world. After finishing that project in Dubai, he worked in his home country for about a month when Permasteelisa Group offered him a position, and he returned. When he raised the national flag, he said, “Well, I have worked on the two tallest buildings in the world.” I told him, “At least I have worked on one of them.”

Malaysia is famous for its twin 88-story towers. Millions of tourists from around the world visit to see them. There must be a reason for building a taller tower than those, right?

They want to make a global name for themselves. That’s the point. The goal is to attract worldwide attention and tourists. The design of the Merdeka Tower is quite interesting. Let me explain. The tower’s shape is modeled on the body posture of Malaysia’s first Prime Minister. The country declared independence in 1953. Tunku Abdul Rahman, who served as the first Prime Minister and was affectionately called “Tunku” by the people, gave a speech at the Merdeka Stadium. While standing upright, he raised his hand and extended his seventh finger seven times while saying “Merdeka” (“Independence”). The tower’s design is based on that posture and body shape. The figure is slightly pot-bellied and leaning forward with the belly protruding and the backside slightly sticking out. The architectural design was done by a large Australian firm. Because the tower is shaped like a human body, constructing it and installing the glass façade was challenging. From above, the tower looks like a prism or a diamond. Each floor has a different shape, which made the work difficult overall. Especially covering the sloped surfaces with glass—if there was even a one-millimeter error, the panels wouldn’t hold and could crack or collapse. Under such conditions, strict adherence to rules and regulations was essential. Safety is paramount. Every morning, we held meetings to check safety preparedness. No human life could be risked. If safety standards and rules were violated, the responsible engineers and managers had to pay hefty fines.

On TV, it looks like you work on scaffolding tied with rebar, almost completely exposed in the air. Working at more than half a kilometer high must take great courage.

International standard safety rules and trusting the professionals who enforce them make such work possible. If you just freeze up thinking, “Oh no, I’m scared,” then you won’t be able to do anything.

I understand that you were responsible for all stages from glass facade installation to quality control.

Yes, I independently managed the “Monorail” system.

What kind of system is that?

It’s a seemingly simple system designed to facilitate easy installation of glass panels. It has two tracks. On the outer track, a basket crane is assembled and used to install both the brackets and the glass panels. In other words, it moves back and forth on the track. On the inner track, an electric winch is used to install the glass panels at intervals of ten floors. For example, after completing the panels on the eight and ninth floors, it moves up to the 10th floor and continues installation upward.

I learned only recently that a Mongolian worked on such a large international project.

I didn’t tell many people. Even my family kept quiet.

You said you are a mechanical engineer. When did you study construction engineering?

Mechanical engineering is versatile. You can transition to any engineering specialty. The company wanted an English-speaking engineer without restricting the field of specialization, and that’s why I was hired.

Understood. Now, let’s talk about you personally rather than about work. Your name sounds feminine.

Among people from the Gobi region, there are many with such names. My parents gave me this name as well. My mother is from Umnugovi Province, originally from Manlai soum. There is another reason. My mother lost her eldest son just before he turned one year old. After that, she had three daughters, and then I was born. When a Buddhist monk was consulted, he said, “If you don’t give this boy a female name, he won’t survive.”

Where did you finish high school?

I graduated in 1993 from the capital city’s Secondary School No. 6, which specialized in mathematics and physics. All my classmates have established good careers and stable lives. I graduated from the newly opened Mechanical Engineering School under the Technical University of Mongolia. I entered by invitation. I graduated with honors from the Automobile Transportation Technical School in Bulgan Province, and they invited me to continue. I enrolled in that technical school right after 10th grade based on my interest.

What interested you?

I was very interested in everything my father, an automotive mechanical engineer, did. I was curious about machines, mechanisms, and engines, and I wanted to understand their principles and invent or build new things. That’s why I went straight to technical school.

So you wanted to be a mechanic?

Basically, yes. But because I studied excellently there, I was invited to enter university without an entrance exam. I studied at TUM for three years and graduated as a mechanical engineer in 1998. Right after university, I worked for five years as a mechanical engineer at the Electrical Transmission and Distribution Office, where my father also worked. The job was good and I liked it, but the salary was a bit low. After marrying and having children, I started thinking about earning more. One day, I went to Ireland. While learning English, I decided to work and study simultaneously, and I went there through an employment agency.

What kind of work did you do?

I started washing dishes in an Italian restaurant, and soon became a cook. I worked and lived there for a total of eight years. Two of our children were born there. I consider Ireland my second home, where I built my entire life.