More "Sun"!
The enterprise for the production of washing powder and household chemicals "SONCA" was created in 2010 by Belarusian and foreign investors as an import-substituting enterprise with an investment of over $30 million in development at the initial stage. When President Alexander Lukashenko visited the factory during a working trip to the Mogilev region in 2012, he drew the attention of the management: the project should benefit the country. For more than ten years, production has grown to a city-forming enterprise and a serious industrial player, supplying more than 25 thousand tons of products per year to the domestic market and more than 115 thousand tons for export.
Technology from top to bottom
In the workshop for the production of dry detergents, where we begin our acquaintance with the factory, a tall barrel immediately catches the eye. This is where the whole “mix” takes place, explains Dmitry Konukhov, deputy director of the enterprise :
— The company uses the so-called tower method. The powder begins to be created in a spray tower at a height of 56 meters, where an airlift delivers the granules with an air flow. The future dry powder falls from a height comparable to a 14-story building, and at each level active components are added to it, forming ideal granules with a homogeneous composition.
Dmitry Konukhov has been here from the very beginning - he came as a remote control operator. He remembers how everything developed:
— At the launch stage there were few workers, I folded boxes for finished products. Then he became a foreman, head of the workshop. At that time, we only had two packaging lines operating. They made a maximum of 20 tons of powder per shift, and it was considered - wow! Eight stackers, two operators, seven-hour shifts. Less than a year later they began working in two shifts. Gradually, staff was recruited and a third packaging line was installed. Today we have two workshops - for the production of dry and liquid detergents, and have a staff of almost 230 people.
Dmitry was an agronomist by first education, and his knowledge of chemistry came in handy. The second is a manager in the agro-industrial complex. These competencies helped in organizing production processes. At the factory in Osipovichi they are 90 percent automated. In the “dry” workshop, only the packaging is visible; machines work their magic on everything else in a closed mode. On three lines, the powder is poured into containers. Each stage is controlled by production master Vladimir Morgunov:
— I worked in the packaging department as a loader for almost six years, then I moved up - now I am responsible for the quality of the products and their appearance. And I begin control with the organization of workplaces - starting up machines, regulating the movement of personnel around workplaces, observing safety regulations. We have a well-coordinated team, we have been working with many of them for many years, and together we organize active recreation.
Filling and packaging machine operator Elena Tsvirkovskaya has been with the company since its founding - she is satisfied with both the salary and the benefits package:
— At the end of the month you can see how it worked. If you tried, you got it well. We provide transportation for non-residents, and discounts on our own products are provided for employees. By the way, it is studied in its own accredited laboratory.
Passed the test
In the liquid detergent workshop, the process is radically different from the production of dry analogues. In a huge 12-ton container, the mixer kneads the future hair balm. All components are whipped for almost seven hours, then the product is packaged in bottles.
Two years ago, they launched a new semi-automatic line for bottling large formats - from one to five liters. Our immediate plans include installing an automatic line, which will double productivity.
We observe the process of applying labels to bottles. Very similar to how stickers are attached to Easter eggs. The labels are pressed onto the container using steam. While at the factory this element is in manual mode. An automatic line will be launched by the end of September - productivity will increase from 50 bottles per minute to 150.
Upgrades at the factory are ongoing, says director Vadim Varkov , the enterprise at the time of launch and now are two different things:
— The site in Osipovichi was not chosen by chance. There is a large railway junction and roads to Minsk, Mogilev, Bobruisk. We located on the territory of an unused building of the Osipovichi Automotive Components Plant, where we carried out major repairs and adapted the space for new production. We are located on the territory of the Mogilev FEZ, which provides a number of tax preferences. At the same time, we fulfill our obligations, including those related to investment activities. Last year, more than 440 thousand rubles were invested in the main production, this year - already 600 thousand.
The company quickly responded to the departure of some European brands from the market: in 2022 they produced products worth almost 116 million rubles, which amounted to 332.8 percent compared to 2021. Exports have also increased: last year the growth rate was 365 percent. More goods went to Russia, Azerbaijan, and Kazakhstan. The needs of the buyer are also taken into account. Cosmetics were added to the production of dry and liquid powders in 2017: shower gels, shampoos, hair conditioners, and in 2022 - a line for children. The assortment is wide: in three segments - budget, mid-range and premium - a total of about 200 items.
In connection with the sanctions, the director does not hide, questions arose with spare parts for imported equipment, with the replacement of components for chemistry, but they passed the test:
— We had to look for suppliers for raw materials. We are now working closely in this direction with Russia, Turkey, Uzbekistan, and China. Belarusian companies have built up logistics - the issue of spare parts has gone away. Enough time has passed to get things going, and now it’s time for further development.
