We visited a factory that makes packaging for sausages, milk and soda. What else do they produce there?

We tell you how to win the trust of customers and consumers by producing casings for different types of products and PET preforms

When choosing a product from a wide range, what does a buyer pay attention to first of all? Of course, to innovative and creative packaging that makes the product stand out on the store shelf. In addition, it should also be of high quality. If we buy cheese, sausage, MILK , juice or soda, it is important that the packaging material protects against damage and makes the product no less convenient for transportation. The team of OOO "Efficient Packaging Systems" (ESP) is a real pro in this matter. For more than two decades, the company has earned a reputation as a high-class manufacturer and reliable partner for companies - manufacturers of various products both in our country and abroad. The correspondent of "7 days" found out how to gain such authority and what is the main mission of those who work with all responsibility in the workshops of a modern ESP.

Innovation is our strong point

OOO "Efficient Packaging Systems" is a company that occupies a leading position in the domestic market of packaging materials. The company successfully exports its products to different countries. The range of products can be divided into three types: PET preforms for carbonated drinks, mineral and drinking waters, dairy products, vegetable oils and sauces, cosmetics and chemical household products. The company also produces polymer caps for the above preforms. One of the new types of products is a polyamide casing: for sausages, cooked sausages and hams, processed cheese, edible animal fats, as well as frozen products, including ice cream and dough.

- Our company has established itself as a reliable manufacturer in the field of packaging solutions, offering high-tech products. We are proud of our cooperation with leading MEAT processing plants, dairy plants, enterprises producing water and beverages. Moreover, our partners work not only in Belarus and RUSSIA, but also in the near and far abroad, including the countries of the Middle East, Latin America and Africa, - begins the conversation the founder and DIRECTOR of LLC "Efficient Packaging Systems" Yuri Kozlov and notes that in the long-term development of the company, several important stages can be identified at once.

The company was founded in 2001. In 2004, a high-tech plant for the production of PET packaging, equipped with modern equipment, was opened in Grodno. In 2011, the preform of the PCO 1881 neck standard was introduced for the first time in our country. This allowed

domestic enterprises to switch to a new packaging format and reduce the cost of finished products by at least 12%. A year later, a second production and warehouse complex was opened in the agro-town of Gatovo. In 2013, the enterprise organized the first production of a polymer cap using injection molding technology. Due to this, the Belarusian market was offered the most functional, barrier packaging option in this segment. 

The team of OOO "Efficient Packaging Systems" decided not to stop at these successes. In 2015, a large-scale investment project was implemented to launch the production of a full-cycle polyamide casing (including extrusion, printing, fendering and corrugation). According to independent experts, this is the most high-tech and modern production of polyamide casing in Europe.

- The main thing is not just to satisfy the needs of customers, but to anticipate their expectations. This means offering innovative solutions that have no analogues on the market. "To give people, partners and the planet the best that plastic has" - this is the company's mission, - says Yuri Valerievich. - We are united in the desire for innovation and creativity, which allows us to develop packaging that not only protects the product, but also defines its uniqueness.

Imports have been replaced!

Last year, an important event took place that will go down in the history of the enterprise. In the agro-town of Gatovo, MINSK district, the newest production complex was put into operation, designed for the production of corrugated, polyamide casing for the meat and dairy industry. The construction took place within the framework of the program "One district - one project", which is aimed at developing new industrial capacities throughout the country.

The launch of the new workshop is an important step in the import substitution program, which is aimed at reducing dependence on foreign supplies of packaging materials. Due to this, LLC "Efficient Packaging Systems" produces polyamide casing for sausages and wieners, which is much cheaper than imported analogues. The quality is at its best! By the way, the products are already in demand not only in the domestic market, but also in the CIS countries, Asia, Africa and Europe.

– Production of artificial casing is one of the main areas of the company. This product is used mainly for packaging sausages, pates, minced meat, sausages, as well as dairy products – soft cheeses, butter, ice cream, – lists Yuri Kozlov. – However, every year the range of products packaged in polyamide casing is only expanding. New product groups are added. These are animal feed, soup liquids, mushroom paste, desserts and even coffee beans. The reason for this is the ease of use of this packaging material in combination with high barrier properties and an affordable price.

For each type of product, the company has developed unique types of casing, each of which most accurately meets customer requirements . The main advantage of such packaging is complete protection from moisture and oxygen due to the barrier properties of a combination of polyethylene and polyamide layers. Also, the polyamide casing provides the product with an attractive presentation, ease of transportation and ease of use in production.

Today, ESP is equipped with three casing production lines. It also provides all the necessary additional services related to casings. For example, printing allows you to customize the packaging and create an attractive design. Fendering gives the casing a rounded shape, imitating a natural look. The production has its own corrugation section, headed by Viktor Tselenik, who has been working for the company since 2019.

– Corrugation is the process of compressing the casing into small briquettes, which simplifies further processing. Our section, one might say, is the final stage in the production process. Then the semi-finished product goes to the consumer, that is, the customer, – shares Viktor Aleksandrovich, who has more than 40 people working under his command. – Every specialist is important to us. Moreover, manufacturers of artificial casing are not taught at the university. There is no such specialty. Employees gain knowledge in practice. We try to hire people with at least minimal experience of working on CNC machines. They must undergo three-month training and adaptation courses. Then – an exam, in case of successful passing of which permission to work independently is issued.

Evgeny Kryuchkov, who among many others has been trained at the company and received a rank, has been working as a manufacturer for over five years. He admits that he likes his job and does not plan to change it. Veronika Kostevich is a stacker-packer. She has been with the company for over 12 years and assures that the working conditions here have always been and remain among the best.

– It is comfortable to work: in the warmth and with a friendly team. We work in shifts, there are day and night shifts, the plan for one is 60 kilometers. It happens that we even exceed the plan, – Veronika Ivanovna smiles and emphasizes that in stores she very quickly recognizes her products and buys goods, of course, in this packaging. – We are very sensitive to our tasks. We thoroughly study the incoming semi-finished products so that there are no defects in printing, corrugation, extrusion. Therefore, I can confidently say: our packaging is one hundred percent high-quality!

Personnel decides everything

Everyone who works in the friendly team of OOO "Efficient Packaging Systems" considers themselves very lucky. Everyone has a good salary, convenient work schedule, paid vacation and other standard elements of the social package.

Thanks to active cooperation with scientific institutions, ESP constantly conducts research and development of new packaging materials and technologies. This opens up new horizons for the creation of functional and aesthetically attractive packaging that can satisfy the needs of the most demanding customers. In addition, ESP understands the importance of education and advanced training of employees. Regular trainings and seminars contribute to the development of professional skills and the implementation of best practices, which allows the company's team to successfully cope with the challenges of the modern market.

Using advanced technologies and high-quality materials, OOO Efficient Packaging Systems creates products that meet the most stringent requirements for environmental friendliness and functionality. The plants are equipped with first-class equipment that determines technological leadership in the polymer packaging industry: extruders, PET lines, printing machines. According to the director, the company strives to be not just a market leader, but to set trends, shaping the future of the packaging industry.

– We are convinced that effective packaging is an art that is in perfect harmony with scientific achievements. This allows us to create added value and worth for the end consumer of the product, – notes Yuri Kozlov, emphasizing that the innovative solutions of Effective Packaging Systems LLC allow customers not only to preserve the freshness and safety of the product, but also to improve its visual appeal. – Partnership with our company brings not only high-quality packaging solutions, but also the possibility of individualization of products. We offer the development of a unique design that emphasizes the identity of the client's brand and attracts the attention of consumers. A specialized team of designers and technologists works closely with customers to offer the best options that take into account all the needs of the modern market.

ESP employs experienced professionals with deep industry knowledge across the entire vertically integrated technological and marketing chain of the product life cycle: from polymer production, their processing to packaging the finished product into the company's products. Young specialists are also full of enthusiasm and fresh ideas, working with the same responsibility as their senior colleagues. All this, according to the director, creates that very unique atmosphere, when traditions combined with innovations demonstrate the highest results.

LLC "Efficient Packaging Systems" is certified by international quality standards iso 9001, FSSC 22000 and Halal. The company has also been repeatedly awarded the 1st degree diploma of the Republican competition of consumer preferences "Product of the Year".

ESP actively participates in international industry exhibitions and conferences, where it presents its new products and shares its experience. Among them: GULFOOD and GULFOOD MF (UAE), PROPACK AFRICA (EGYPT), SIAL (FRANCE), IFFA (GERMANY), AGROPRODMASH, PRODEXPO (RUSSIA) and many others. The team is confident that further development and growth of the company will be possible only through continuous improvement and openness to new ideas.

Marina VALAKH, photo BELTA and from the enterprise archive