A district-scale project: how a new curd factory was built from scratch in Kalinkovichi district

Every day, tons of dairy products roll off the conveyor belts of Belarusian factories: butter ,cottage cheese ,sour cream , yoghurts, cheese... The range of over 1800 types of dairy products, our country produces almost 400 types of cheese alone. Domestic producers fully satisfy the domestic demand for dairy products, while increasing EXPORT deliveries to different countries of the world despite Western sanctions. And every year, specialists of enterprises work on technologies and recipes for creating new types and tastes. This is also facilitated by the program initiated by the HEAD of State, which is now being implemented throughout Belarus. For example, in the Gomel region, where the Kalinkovichi SOOO "BELSYR" literally from scratch built a new workshop within the framework of the investment program and launched a unique production, thereby expanding both the staff and the range. Development formula The President gave an order within the framework of the "One District - One Project" initiative to create promising jobs and decent working conditions in the regions in mid-2022. During the Address to the Belarusian People and the National Assembly on March 31, 2023, ALEXANDER LUKASHENKO returned to this topic again, noting that no one would want to leave an agro-town or a district center if they create jobs there with salaries no lower than the average for the region or industry, providing people with housing and the necessary infrastructure. "People need work where they live. And the implementation of the "one district - one project" principle in the current five-year plan is designed to promote the creation of jobs and employment of the population," the Head of State said. True, the presidential initiative contributes not only to solving the personnel problem, but also to the development and release of new, including unique, types of products. In this case, dairy, because BELSYR LLC is a well-known Belarusian-Russian cheese brand created in the heart of the Belarusian Polesie. The image of the region is largely determined by such companies as BELSYR LLC, backbone industrial giants. it accounts for almost 20% of the total production. The enterprise itself was created in 2002 and the first batch of cheese products rolled off the conveyor the following year. Today, "BELSYR" can be safely called one of the leading cheese producers in the country (with foreign investment). The enterprise produces 12 types of cheese. By the way, the modern equipment installed in the workshops will allow producing about 100 types (23 tons of finished products per day). The share of SOOO "BELSYR" accounts for almost 20% of the total production volume of the Kalinkovichi district.





However, the plant went further and took on a rather ambitious project - the construction of a new workshop for the production of cottage cheese and yoghurts. According to the DIRECTOR of SOOO "BELSYR" Tatyana Kanash, in order to maintain a leading position in the market, it is important to constantly confirm your competence, but at the same time be an innovator. Tatyana Vladimirovna is a local. In 1990, she graduated from the Belarusian State Institute of National Economy, specializing in "accounting and analysis of economic activity". She was assigned to her native Kalinkovichi and has been working in her small homeland ever since. She came to SOOO "BELSYR" in 2007, started as an accountant, and three years later became the chief economist. She took the helm of the promising plant in 2015.
- Today, it is important to work on updating the range, developing and introducing innovative products. The modern buyer can only be surprised by new, exclusive types, and of the highest quality, - the director of the enterprise notes. - In 2018, an idea appeared to expand the range of cheese products - to introduce a category of soft cheeses and curds, which are made by acid-rennet coagulation with separation on special devices - membranes that allow you to separate excess whey and get a protein-fat product, that is, cheese or a base for it.
According to the director, the technology allows you to produce a wide range of products, including high-protein soft types of cottage cheese, yoghurts, processed cheese. The key task of the enterprise at the moment is the production of soft cheeses.
MILK turns ... into curd cheese
The new workshop for the production of curd cheeses and yoghurts involves a two-stage design. The cost of the project is 51.3 million rubles, of which 23.1 million is a loan, and 28.2 million are own funds.
The first stage was launched in July 2023. Due to the equipment with modern high-tech equipment, the production capacity is 420 tons of finished products per month (14 tons per day). Since the launch of the new production, 305 tons of products have been manufactured for a total of 3.2 million rubles. Most of it (about 80%) is exported to RUSSIA, the remaining 20% ​​is in good demand on the domestic market.
Since the launch of the new production, 305 tons of products have been manufactured for a total of 3.2 million rubles.
After the launch of the second stage, the capacity will increase to 800 tons. In total, the project provides for monthly production of about 1,200 tons of products. By the way, reaching the planned capacity is expected in August 2024. - Since the plant occupies a small area, and the capacity is quite significant, it was decided to build a two-story workshop. So, on the first floor, the work is, so to speak, piecemeal: packagingfinished products, which are then sent to the warehouse. The components for their production are also stored. The second one is the hardware part, where all liquid processes are carried out, - the director explains and specifies that the sanctions did not interfere with the implementation of the project in any way. - We managed to purchase and deliver the necessary equipment. As for the adjusters, they were looked for locally. The software was written by our domestic specialists. Of course, we were afraid that the process could be delayed, but the launch of the line was on schedule.

The process of turning milk into curd cheese is a chain of similar operations, which are largely hidden from view behind the steel walls of almost identical tank cisterns. In fact, it looks like this: raw materials from milk and cream are loaded into special tanks, where a mixture for curd cheeses is prepared.
- After mixing, the pasteurization process takes place - cleaning from pathogenic bacteria. Then the mixture is passed through a homogenizer , where it is brought to a homogeneous consistency. The next stage: the cooled raw materials are fed into the tanks for fermentation and aging until a normalized fermented mixture, similar in consistency to kefir , - says Deputy Director for Modernization and Development Mikhail Glushakov about the nuances of the technological process. - After ultrafiltration, the product is split into two fractions: whey, which is drained into separate tanks, and the same curd cheese.

Mikhail Glushakov has been working at the plant for over 12 years. He combines his work with teaching at the Belarusian State University of Food and Chemical Technologies, which he graduated from in 2006.

- I teach students technologies for processing secondary raw materials, methods for studying raw materials and dairy products, I tell the basics of food chemistry, accounting reporting at enterprises of the dairy industry. So to speak, I implement theory into practice at the plant, and I pass on practical experience to students in classrooms, - he explains and emphasizes that his part-time job is fully supported by the management at the enterprise. - We ourselves conduct all the necessary research in the factory laboratories on modern equipment: we develop pasteurization and humanization technologies. We work on physical and chemical research, determining the mass fraction of fat, protein, lactose. We study the consistency of the product, its viscosity and other indicators. Then there are technological developments aimed at obtaining products with the desired organoleptic properties: taste, color, smell.
The project provides for the creation of 24 new jobs; today, there are already 19 employees on staff. Among them is senior foreman Eduard Mandrik, who, despite his young age, impresses with his experience in the dairy industry.

The new project at SOOO "BELSYR" provides for the creation of 24 new jobs, today the staff already has 19 employees. - For more than five years I worked at OAO "Molochnye Gorki", then at an ice cream factory in Gomel. When the opportunity arose to retrain for curd cheeses , and they even invited me to work in my hometown, I immediately agreed, - smiles Eduard. - In my profession, it is important not only to know the technology, but also to be able to work in a team, listen to colleagues, manage the process. Although I was very lucky with the team: you do not often meet such responsible and hard-working people. Moreover, there are a lot of young people on the staff who returned to the district center after studying. We like to work and live in Kalinkovichi. The city is getting better and better every year.
Automatic line operator Svetlana Tsurko, who has been working at SOOO "BELSYR" for about a year, is sure: the work of each link is important in the production chain.
– The secret to the success of any enterprise is a strong team, where everyone supports each other and is ready, if necessary, to work overtime, and in case of force majeure, even rush from home to the workshop at night. These are the kind of people who work at BELSYR – real professionals. It is important for us to perform our duties efficiently: to know many technological subtleties, to strictly adhere to the parameters of product manufacturing, – Svetlana says with a smile and immediately tells what her family’s favorite product produced by her native plant is. – Everything is delicious, but yoghurts are especially delicious! It is a joy to hear good reviews about the products of the enterprise where I work. It is doubly pleasant to realize that this is the result of my work. The plant also develops new types of products, including innovative ones. For example, the uniqueyogurt for healthy eating advocates. Its special feature is the increased protein content and the minimum amount of carbohydrates.

Control: from raw materials to finished products
Continuing the tour of the new workshop, Mikhail Glushakov notes that the building is equipped with the main production and auxiliary rooms. This allows keeping all components within walking distance, so to speak, at hand during the work process.
- Often, old production buildings were designed back in Soviet times. For example, to get to the third workshop, you need to go through two, disturbing your colleagues. Warehouses are removed, which causes a lot of inconvenience. We took a different approach: we designed the workshop in such a way that, even working at full capacity, production should be provided with everything necessary: ​​raw materials, packaging, containers , fillers, etc. You could say that the workshop is built on the island principle - self-sufficient in all respects. Everything is connected by a corridor system, from which you get to any department, - explains Sergey Alexandrovich. - Automatic control has been introduced to stop or change any of the processes if necessary. Operators have access to all the equipment: they can see what is happening from the beginning to the end of the operation.
Denis Kuzhelko has been working as a packaging line operator since the first days of the new workshop opening. He was trained under the supervision of his senior colleagues and today he copes no worse than others. The young man tells how interesting it is to work at a modern enterprise equipped with the latest technology.
- Our workshop resembles a huge spaceship from the inside. The process is fully automated - there are computers, screens, sensors everywhere, - says Denis and recalls his first working day. - I was amazed by the huge containers, milk comes into them from the reception, absolutely not in contact with the external environment. The modern workshop can be compared to a medical laboratory: white walls, lab coats, sterile cleanliness. Although the enterprise also has laboratories - control in all areas: from incoming raw materials to the release of finished products.

A colleague of our interlocutor Roman Evtodiyev also works as an operator. He recalls how he got a job here two years ago under a contract, and after a while he switched to a contract.
– Friendly management that is open to new ideas, a friendly team, decent working conditions and wages. What else do you need to make your work a joy? – Roman asks and answers himself. – Once I came to the plant to work off my training after technical school. I decided to stay on under the contract, try it out, take a closer look... and got hooked. At first glance, the production of cheese and other dairy products seems simple. In fact, there are many nuances that you need to understand. This is what makes our work interesting.
The young man does not deny that he is considering the possibility of career growth at SOOO "BELSYR".
– There is no other enterprise like this in our district. It is safe to say that BELSYR is truly the pride of the Kalinkovichi district.
In total, the BELSYR SOOO team consists of 240 people. The staff is fully staffed. However, according to the director, the company is always glad to have smart personnel and is ready to consider the resumes of candidates of various specialties.

– The company employs wonderful people – proactive, with a sense of personal responsibility. I would like to separately highlight the young specialists whom we meet when they are still studying at universities, colleges and lyceums. Students and pupils who come to us for an internship literally from the first days become part of the team. Many of them return to the company after receiving their diploma, – says Tatyana Kanash. – We involve newcomers in the life of the team, because work at the plant is not limited exclusively to production activities. We provide opportunities for self-realization, the most important thing is desire.

The task of the management, according to the director, is to create conditions for employees to demonstrate their abilities, talents and professional skills. And this is exactly the tactic they follow at BELSYR SOOO.
Bread granaries of Kalinkovshchina
The Kalinkovichi Bakery Plant branch of Gomelkhlebprom OJSC is another example of the successful work of Kalinkov residents. The daily production of the enterprise is 10.5 tons of bakery products and half a ton of confectionery products, which are sold in 11 districts of the Gomel region. Revenue from the sale of its own products reaches 800-850 thousand rubles per month.
The daily production of the Kalinkovichi Bakery Plant branch of Gomelkhlebprom OJSC is 10.5 tons of bakery products and half a ton of confectionery products, which are sold in 11 districts of the Gomel region.
Over its more than 60-year history, the bakery has repeatedly modernized its capacities, reconstructed ovens, units, improved the technological process, and expanded the range of products. And 2024 was no exception.

– The production of the bakery has undergone several stages of modernization. In February of this year, a new rotary oven was put into operation. Its productivity is from 150 to 250 kilograms per hour. We produce long-loaf products, pies, pastries, toast bread, baguettes, braids, cheesecakes, – says the head of the planning and economic bureau Irina Borisenko. – The new equipment significantly facilitates working conditions and affects the quality of the products. In the new oven, the products do not shrink, thereby not violating the technical parameters. The payback period is six months, but we are already seeing the economic effect of its installation.
In addition, the company acquired a new vacuum separator, which improved the quality of white bakery products - they became even fluffier. The main technological line (oven) in the bakery section was put into operation in 2008 and to this day copes with the tasks assigned to it perfectly.
- We produce 85% of the total volume of bakery products in this oven. Its uniqueness is that it works on baking both hearth rye-wheat and wheat breads, and loaf products, - joins the conversation head of the laboratory Oksana Sharai. - The production capacity of the oven depends on the type of product - from 500 to 700 kilograms per hour. It works 18-19 hours a day.
Work at the plant is in full swing around the clock: while bread is being baked in one section, cakes and pastries are decorated in another. The daily production volume in the confectionery section is 120-150 kilograms. Thanks to the skill and imagination of the local confectioners, the bakery offers sweets for every taste: cakes, buns, gingerbread, cookies, cakes. Despite the fact that the assortment is large, it is constantly updated with new products.
In total, the enterprise employs 212 people, about 30% of whom are young promising personnel under 40.

Irina Otchik has been working at the bakery for more than 18 years. She started as a confectioner, today she is a section foreman.

- People trust us because they know that we use only natural ingredients, without harmful additives. Our signature cake is in great demand - bright and colorful "Cherry Illusion" with candied fruits. All our products resemble homemade baked goods, because they are made with soul, - smiles the interlocutor and specifies that every month the bakery pleases customers with delicious new products.
The products of the Kalinkovichi Bakery branch make up about 15% of the total volume of OJSC Gomelkhlebprom.
Trends of our day
One of the oldest enterprises in the region confidently follows modern design and offers consumers trendy high-quality products that can create coziness in every room. We are talking about the Kalinkovichi Furniture Factory, which began its activity back in 1938 with the production of rivets for barrels, couches and sofas. In fact, this was the beginning of furniture production in Kalinkovichi.
The team adheres to the production trends laid down by the director of the plant Alexander Poluyan, who headed the enterprise in 2002, even today.
- Stable work along with the latest high-tech equipment is ensured primarily by qualified personnel and maintaining the continuity of generations at the enterprise. Of course, we try to pay special attention to our youth, who are sometimes involved in responsible areas of production and adequately perform even extremely complex tasks, - the director emphasizes.
The plant never stops developing: the product range is updated annually. Every week, specialists work on new collections, and they have beautiful names - "Gerta", "Riviera", "Savannah". - The development of new types of production and the team's painstaking work on new models and improving the quality of furniture allow us to win the trust of consumers from year to year, - says the head of the brand store Tatyana Kononova. - Studying demand, we see what our buyer wants, and we try to please him.
There are 200 people working at the Kalinkovichi Furniture Plant. The branded retail chain includes 30 stores throughout the country. Every week, the enterprise develops new collections of cabinet and upholstered furniture, kitchens. Photo by Vitaly Pivovarchik