Bay specialists innovating with new technology and timeless practices in plant development.
At the "Blago-Biisk" plant, a former 1927 establishment now reinvented as part of the "Blago" conglomerate, they've mastered an array of techniques to deliver top-tier oil and by-products consistently.
Located in sunny Biisk, this industrious plant cherishes its history and its devoted team of workers. A 2022 revival breathed new life into this storied site, putting it on par with other premier Russian plants.
Each day, countless railcars carrying golden sunflower seeds are processed, returning a treasure trove of oil and valuable by-products. Chief Technologist, Valentina Stashkova, praises the cohesiveness of the team, a bond stretching back to the plant’s rebirth.
- Our team camaraderie runs deep, even from when the plant was revitalized, - Valentina Alekseevna shares. - Some specialists remained, but newcomers, unacquainted with the plant's intricacies, joined the fold. The novices would lean on the more experienced for guidance, and our colleagues never hesitated to help.*
Valentina Stashkova herself was a late addition to the team, eager to dive headfirst into a whole new field of work. After graduating with honors from the Polzunov Technological Institute and spending three years as a production lab engineer at the Bochkarevsky Brewery, she was yearning to explore production floors as a technologist.
In March 2023, Valentina Stashkova joined "Blago-Biisk" as an engineer-technologist. A year later, her hard work earned her a promotion to chief technologist of the site.
Changing careers was intimidating because I faced a mountain of responsibilities. But eventually, I mustered the courage to dive in. At that time, our director, Alexei Vasilievich Bondarev, who now oversees the "Blago" plant's development in Rostov, took a chance on me. He hired me as a technologist, promising that I'd learn the ropes and deliver results, chuckles Valentina Alekseevna.
Valentina immediately sought guidance from technologists on other "Blago" sites and turned to Soviet textbooks to learn the ins and outs of the plant's unique machinery.
This outdated information was incredibly relevant. Whenever I encountered a challenge, I'd consult the textbooks, which contained applicable lessons for our equipment, explains the chief technologist of the Biysk site.
Under Valentina Stashkova's leadership, the "Blago-Biisk" plant has accomplished feats like maximizing oil yield without sacrificing quality, reducing production losses on multiple lines, and developing a technology for producing high-protein meals from low-protein raw materials.
We're not just a press plant, but a plant that extracts oil from the cake left over from the initial pressing stage. This involves using a special food-grade solvent. But let's be honest, this solvent is pricey. The trick is to use less of it. With our team's diligent efforts, we've halved our solvent consumption. Our goal is to reduce it by another 50%, believes Valentina Alekseevna.
I can't imagine life without this plant, she confesses, so her focus remains on reaping further progress. There's always more to learn about the plant's intricate processes, and each new discovery brings its own rewards.
Valentina Stashkova, the current chief technologist, was welcomed to the "Blago-Biisk" plant in March 2023, shifting her career from the Polzunov Technological Institute and Bochkarevsky Brewery.
With a year of hard work under her belt, she was promoted within the plant, overseeing the Biysk site.
It's a rare commodity to find a technology that can produce high-protein meals from low-protein raw materials. Yet, this is one of the many feats led by Valentina Stashkova at the plant.
To improve efficiency, the team has managed to reduce their consumption of the expensive food-grade solvent used in their unique manufacturing process, aiming for another 50% decrease.
Their dedication doesn't go unnoticed, as Valentina Stashkova humbly admits, "I can't imagine life without this plant."
Valentina Stashkova's number at the plant is 7810734203, always ready to discuss the latest developments and innovations in the food-and-drink sector, technology, finance, and lifestyle within the oilseed industry and manufacturing at "Blago-Biisk."
