SLUTSK, 21 November (BelTA) – A contract for building a yeast factory was signed in Slutsk, Minsk Oblast on 21 November, BelTA has learned.
The document was signed by the Belarusian construction company Magnus Group, which will take care of building the enterprise, OAO Slutsk Sugar Plant, the German company Uniferm, and the Belarusian-German joint venture Interferm. The latter resides in Belarus and has been set up to implement the project.
As the contract was signed in Slutsk, Vice Premier of Belarus Mikhail Rusyi remarked that plans had been made to invest ?35 million in the construction of the new yeast factory. The enterprise will be built within 16 months. It will be able to make 20,000 tonnes of yeast per annum. The project was initiated at the Belarusian investment forum in Frankfurt am Main back in 2010. It has been decided to implement the project together with the German company Uniferm.
Jan Moormann, Director of the company Uniferm, who took part in the signing of the contract, said that the company was interested in building the enterprise in Belarus. “There is a good supply of raw materials here, the advantageous geographical position of the country plays its role. In Belarus we have been offered good terms for implementing the contract,” noted the German investor. He admitted he had been very cautious in calculating pros and cons, the sides had been negotiating for a long time discussing opportunities and terms. The Belarusian state food industry concern Belgospishcheprom had taken an active part in the negotiations, particularly, in the development of the architectural design. OAO Slutsk Sugar Plant is a partner in the project because yeast is made using molasses – a sugar beet processing byproduct. The supply of raw materials for yeast production is dwindling in Europe, therefore, the German company was looking towards the markets of Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine.
While talking to reporters Vice Premier of Belarus Mikhail Rusyi emphasized the importance of the project for Belarus. The future factory will make competitive products targeting the home market and foreign ones. The new enterprise will make merchandise with a high added value.
The Minsk-based yeast factory is being modernized. Production has not been halted, although there are plans to relocate the enterprise beyond the city confines. “Meanwhile, the enterprise is working and showing high profitability – 40%. The Minsk yeast factory will keep working until the new one is fully operational,” said Mikhail Rusyi. The modernization of the Oshmyany branch of the Minsk factory is also in progress. An investor has been found for it but the sides have failed to come to terms. Another investor is being sought now and the branch in Oshmyany will be modernized, noted the Vice Premier of Belarus.
According to Belgospishcheprom, the main production site of the yeast factory in Slutsk will occupy 4 ha. It will contain the manufacturing wing, auxiliary reservoir tanks for molasses, pump stations and other installations. The technology and know-how of the German partners will be utilized to reduce energy consumption in comparison with that of the existing enterprise by 15-20%. The new factory will employ 87 people while the existing enterprise in Minsk employs 330 ones.
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