Lepel Dairy and Canning Plant invested 1.3 million euros in production development in 2008

March 23, Vitebsk /Olga Bogacheva - BELTA/. OJSC "Lepel Dairy and Canning Plant" invested 1.3 million euros in production development in 2008, the enterprise director Leonid Smazhevsky told a BELTA correspondent. The plant allocated 1 million euros for the construction of a compressor station for milk cooling. Equipment meeting all the requirements of high-tech production has been installed here. 300 thousand euros were used for the modernization of the dryer: individual units were replaced, and additional equipment was put into operation, including a modern dry milk packaging unit. A significant amount of investment is planned for the current year. In particular, a dairy farm for 1,000 head of cattle is to be built, the boiler house is to be reconstructed, and ice cream production is to be expanded. Planned production development and technical re-equipment allow the plant to produce high-quality products, the range of which is constantly expanding, as well as to confidently enter new markets and strengthen its positions in already established ones, Leonid Smazhevsky noted. For example, contracts have been concluded for the supply of 2,000 tons of dry milk to Venezuela and 3,000 tons to Iran. A contract with Iran is being processed. The enterprise plans to ship 10,000 tons of dry milk to this country within three years. In 2008, the plant processed 152 thousand tons of raw materials, which is 16.1% more compared to the previous year. Products worth Br129 billion were produced, or 120.4% compared to 2007. The energy saving indicator is minus 9.5%. Exports amounted to $33 million (110.2%). The share of exports last year reached 59%. The main share of supplies went to the CIS countries - 93.6%, the rest to far-abroad countries, including Poland, France, Iraq, Iran, and Syria. The enterprise was founded in 1951 and reformed into an OJSC in 1998. The state's share in the authorized fund is 97.2%. In 2005, the agricultural production branch "Zaozerie" was merged with the plant, and in December 2007, the Tolochin butter and cheese plant became part of it. The plant specializes in the production of dairy products, skimmed dry milk, and ice cream. The range of manufactured products includes more than 100 items. The total number of employees is 880 people. -0-