A set of measures aimed at improving the financial situation of the enterprise has been developed at the Vitebsk ZI factory

According to Andrey Shamshura, Director of OJSC "Znamya Industrializatsii", the enterprise approaches the current professional holiday with much better performance and morale compared to the crisis and very challenging year of 2015.

— The most important achievement this year is the full utilization of production lines, — notes Andrey Vladimirovich. — We have been operating on our own working capital throughout this period, without resorting to bank loans, which is, of course, quite challenging.

The enterprise has developed a set of measures aimed at improving its financial situation. First and foremost, it involves increasing the share of own production and optimizing the workforce, which currently numbers around 800 people.

— This in no way affects piece-rate workers – seamstresses, — emphasizes Andrey Shamshura. — Moreover, according to our calculations, to achieve the revenue volume that would allow financing current operations and settling debt obligations, the number of seamstresses is planned to be increased by approximately 100 people, which will generate 8 to 10 billion rubles.

OJSC "Znamya Industrializatsii" has diversified its sales markets: while previously the main markets were the Russian Federation and the Baltic states, this year orders have come from Poland. An agreement has been signed according to which the enterprise is to produce about 3 to 3.5 thousand suits monthly. There is an agreement with the Dutch company Grosso-Modo, for which about 4 thousand units of light apparel (blouses, dresses) are produced each month. In March, 30 thousand blouses were manufactured for them.

Technical re-equipment continues; over the past nine months, sewing and knitting equipment worth 1.5 billion rubles has been acquired. Compared to last year, own capacities have been increased due to a new knitting workshop, employing almost 60 seamstresses, which has generated a turnover for OJSC "Znamya Industrializatsii" of 1.5 to 2 million Russian rubles, or 450 to 600 million Belarusian rubles in equivalent.

Regarding new collections, the enterprise's designers and modelers continue to work on developing new collections and products made from Belarusian linen. "This

our strong suit, we practically have no competitors in Belarus here," believes the director.

Natalia Lagutina, the leading fashion designer of the experimental workshop of the enterprise, said that every year, by the beginning of the summer season, OJSC "Znamya Industrializatsii" releases a clothing collection made from fabrics of the Orsha Flax Mill, and to stand out favorably against its competitors, they try to work in line with the latest global fashion trends.

— This year, we focused on color and unusual combinations of prints, colors, and textures," continues N. Lagutina. — The men's line includes jackets, trousers, and breeches. The classic cut items are made of bright solid and checkered fabrics in current colors.

The trim uses various braids, contrasting buttons, and buttonholes. All models comply with the season's fashion trends. Our trousers also undergo a special boiling process, after which they do not stretch at the knees and do not wrinkle.

The bright and light women's collection is based on the combination of fabrics in several colors of the fashionable palette, as well as linen with cotton embroidery. Light perforated structures perfectly complement natural breathable linen, which is also called Belarusian silk — it is precisely such models that are popular with customers.

All this beauty is brought to life by the rank-and-file employees of OJSC "Znamya Industrializatsii". Among them, Elena Sharipova, who has dedicated 20 years to her native enterprise, is highly regarded. She started as a seamstress and later mastered the specialty of a heat finisher. If a product has passed through the hands of Elena Vladimirovna, management and customers know in advance: it can be accepted without looking!

Vitaly Shienok. Photos by Oleg Klimovich, "Vitbichi".